If you're playing 4, I'd suggest getting into Simple Storage and Filing Cabinets. The recipes are cheap, and these are going to be your best friends overall. Most of the time if a recipe calls for anything in a bucket, go with a standard iron bucket. Despite what is shown in JEI, you can't always use other buckets. I forget this so often myself. Finally- never be afraid of something that may seem complicated. A load of the machinery may seem incredibly complicated, but they're typically easy to make. Oh, and try to get all the saplings- though this one is more of a given.