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You can build a Nether portal without mining obsidian: use lava from a pool and water to cast obsidian directly into a frame-shaped mold. The key is to place lava source blocks where the frame belongs; water meeting flowing lava may make cobblestone instead.
What you need
- A lava pool and a bucket to collect lava source blocks.
- A water source and a way to carry water.
- Temporary blocks, such as dirt, to shape the mold and control water flow.
- A way to ignite the completed portal interior.
This method casts obsidian in its final position, so you do not need to mine the new obsidian with a diamond pickaxe. A tutorial describes bucket casting as an alternative to mining existing obsidian: Minecraft Wiki: Tutorials/Nether portals.
Build the mold and cast the frame
- Choose a flat spot near the lava pool. Make sure you can place temporary blocks around the outline and control where water flows.
- Lay out the frame. Make the outside at least 4 blocks wide and 5 blocks tall, leaving an opening 2 blocks wide and 3 blocks high. The four corner positions are optional, so you can leave them empty. The reference lists valid frame sizes from 4×5 through 23×23: Minecraft Wiki: Nether portal.
- Build a temporary mold. Use blocks such as dirt to define the frame positions and support the lava and water. The mold needs to keep each lava source in the position where you want obsidian to form.
- Place lava source blocks in the frame positions. Use a bucket to take lava from the pool and place it in the mold one position at a time. Do not rely on lava flowing into a space; the casting method depends on source blocks.
- Flow water over the placed lava. Water meeting a lava source block turns it into obsidian. Guide the water with the mold so it reaches the intended blocks without spreading over the rest of the build.
- Clear the mold and water carefully. Remove temporary blocks only after the obsidian is in place, and collect or redirect water that obstructs the opening.
- Ignite the inside of the frame. Once the obsidian rectangle is complete, ignite the interior to activate the portal.
Why lava sometimes becomes cobblestone
If a block becomes cobblestone instead of obsidian, it was flowing lava rather than a source block. Use the bucket to collect lava from the pool, then place that source block directly into the frame mold before bringing water over it. The tutorial identifies flowing lava as the cause of this failure: Minecraft Wiki: Tutorials/Nether portals.
If the portal will not activate
- Check the shape: the frame must be a vertical obsidian rectangle, at least 4 blocks wide and 5 blocks high on the outside. The opening should be 2 by 3 blocks.
- Check the frame blocks: corners can be omitted, but the sides, top, and bottom must be present and made of obsidian.
- Check ignition: the interior must be ignited after the frame is complete.
- Check for water interference: use temporary blocks to direct water while casting, then remove or collect it if it obstructs the frame or opening.
Casting versus mining obsidian
| Approach | Tool requirement | What you need to manage |
|---|---|---|
| Cast obsidian in place from lava and water | No diamond pickaxe needed to mine the frame blocks; use a bucket to place lava source blocks. | A nearby lava pool, water, and careful control of the mold and water flow. |
| Mine existing obsidian and build the frame | The cited tutorial presents casting as an alternative to mining obsidian with a diamond pickaxe. | Access to already-formed obsidian and the ability to mine it. |
The casting route avoids mining, but it requires more precise placement: each frame block must form where it belongs, and water must reach the source lava without disrupting the rest of the mold.
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Edition and controls
The source material supports the core casting steps and frame dimensions but does not establish Java-versus-Bedrock differences or platform-specific button controls. Exact input names therefore depend on the edition and device you play on.
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