Tutorials/Materials tactics

Some materials can be 'farmed' or made in great quantities in order to allow easy access to craftable objects.

Flint
You can easily gain flint in huge quantities by collecting gravel. Collect as much gravel as you want to obtain via flint and procceed to a safe, well-lit location (as this is a good thing to get done during the night) and begin to place down the gravel. While still having the gravel equipped, dig through the placed gravel. If it doesn't yeild flint, pick up the block, and place another. Rinse and repeat until you have used up all of your gravel. Gravel blocks drop flint about 8.5% of the time.

Obsidian
When water touches a lava spring block, it will turn into obsidian. Miners use troughs to place multiple lava springs on and let the water run over them. This is explained in more detail in Obsidian.