Pothangers and the like...

[ScottC]

Does anybody have a quick tutorial on how to make pothangers for a fire?


Cheers,

 

[Carcajou Garou]

I will take it for granted that you already have installed either a cooking tripod or an overhead cross bar with end supports. We use a lenght of chain with a loop to attach it to the tripod and at the other end of the chain we have a small hook that will hook through the links of said chain we adjust the level of the pot by lenghtening or shortening the chain and attaching the hook on the desired link. Make sure the pot/load is well balanced, no need to test your first aid/burn skill. Cook over ember preferably (hotter more consistant). We also add more "S" hooks to the bar or chain to add other item to be kept warmed. Make sure the tripod and chain are substancial enough to carry the intended load, use fire isolating gloves or mitts to handle hot chain or tripod.
just a thought

 

[grumit]

hi young bushman you just need to take a look at any buscraft or good camping book to see how to make pot hangers if you dont have one try your local libery the best and simplest are made from what you can find in the woods ie natural hook's made from bits of wood or a long shaft driven into the ground at an angle and held above the fire with a second y shaped stick hope that make's sence and helps :-D

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

It depends on the complexity of your cooking kit. If you are portaging a complete camp via pack animal, watercraft or landrover then a set of premade tripod or H frame irons, s hooks, chains, gonch hook etc is no problem. If your on walkabout like some aussie swagman your kit is going to come from the bush. Remember that any activity, especially fire will impact the natural environment. The Apache cowboys of Arizona don't bother with tripods, but instead dig a slanting ditch with a a pair of construction rebar or pipe as a rack. The fire is built in the deepest part and shoveled onto the dutch ovens, coffeepot etc. For a simple one pot system grumit has described a classic fulcrum and lever that can be easily crafted from hardwood. Just remember your plant I.D. skills. more than one scout in the USA has succumbed to roasting marshmellows on toxic sticks. The nice bit of using bits of local wood is reducing your impact. Those heavy tripods don't increase your carry, which literally increases your footprint on the soil structure. You haven't bought a product that requires extractive and transport costs to a distant environment. Now some young bushcrafter in another part of the world has a bit of woodland saved from a ironworks or roadway. Congratulations, You are now a bushcrafter AND a deep ecologist.

 

[jakunen]

You said you're inyterested in coming to the BCUK TV meet on the 2nd?
If you're there I can show you a few I've made and show you how I made them.