Description
In this section we will be looking at the basics of crafting. When crafting it is essential that you collect all the ingredients that are needed first. There are two different ways that you can craft in Minecraft. One way is by using the personal crafting grid, which is a 2×2. This grid will give you a limited amount of items that you can craft. The next option is to use the crafting table. It is a 3×3 grid, this grid will enable you to craft all the items that are available in Minecraft.
Lets first have a look at the 2×2 grid for crafting
The 2×2 crafting option is what you will start the game with. This crafting option allows you to craft the essentials. However, you will need to make a crafting table as soon as possible. In the early game, this grid will give you the ability to craft a crafting table. You will need 4 planks to place into your personal crafting area. Once you have created the crafting table you are then good to go with all the items open to you as long as you have the ingredients.
Lets have a look at the crafting table now
The crafting table is the main way to craft in Minecraft. Once you have a crafting table made you will be able to craft all the craftable items in Minecraft. The crafting table is an essential block in Minecraft and one that you will want to make as early as possible in your game.
Looking at some common items to craft in Minecraft
Welcome to the real Minecraft. Once you have the crafting table made it opens up all the crafting options in the game. The crafting table is the most important block in the game. It will enable you to craft every possible block. Lets now look at some of the items that can be made with the crafting table. These are items that you will need to craft at the start of the game.
| Item | Recipe grid | Materials needed |
|---|---|---|
| Crafting table |  | 4 wooden planks |
| Planks |  | 1 wood block |
| Sticks |  | 2 wooden planks |
| Wooden axe |  | 2 sticks, 2 planks |
| Torch. |  | 1 coal or charcoal, 1 wooden stick. |
| Furnace |  | 8 blocks of cobblestone |
| Wooden pickaxe |  | 2 sticks, 3 planks |
| Glass |  | 1 furnace, coal and sand |
These are the starting blocks that you will need when you start the game. There are many more items that you will need as you progress through the game and you collect more ingredients.
Using the crafter
The crafter is a redstone controlled block that can automatically create items for you. To use the crafter you need to first set up the grid, this grid is a standard 3×3 grid. To use the crafter, you must switch off sections of the grid. This ensures that the items will only fall into the correct places on the grid. The crafter can only be used to create one specific item. So for example if you wanted to create dye you would set the grid up like this.
You can see from this image that the raised squares do not allow items to go into them. When the flowers are placed into the crafter this then will then create dye. The best way to set up a crafter is to have a chest connected to a hopper. The hopper should then lead to the crafter. This way whatever is placed into the chest will fall into the correct slots on the crafter. To get the crafter to work, place a lever on the side. When you switch the lever, it will produce dye. This can be automated with a redstone clock setup so that this will be done automatically.
This is an image of a crafter that is powered by a redstone clock. This is a very simple clock build. When you place the flowers into the chest, they will fall into the hopper. Eventually, they will end up in the crafter. When the flowers go into the crafter, it will receive a redstone signal from the redstone clock. It will then process the flowers into dye for you.