Tutorial - Camp Kitchen/Table

[Pandabean]

Tutorial – Camp Kitchen/Table

If I am at a fixed camp for any length of time, I find it useful to have a camp table set up. At the moot and at our small meet up Bennachie we set up a simple four legged table which served well for storing items up off the ground as well as providing a nice surface to cook on.

After reading grave’s Bushcraft books I had the idea of setting up a much larger version of the table using the method shown below. It was only after attending a course earlier this year and the moot that I got an idea of how to make it work.

This table can be set up numerous ways and provide you with a table that you can alter easily to suit the needs of the camp.

1) First off you need to find six sturdy poles (sturdier than the ones in the picture ) and lash these together to form two tripods.

2) Position these tripods at the distance you are wanting. This will be the length of the table.

3) Lash two long poles between the tripods, these will be the supports for the main table top.


P1000172 by pandabean2010, on Flickr

4) If you find that the table is a bit wobbly after you have lashed all these together then it would be best to put cross members on the tripod legs to help strengthen it and perhaps spike the base of the tripods and stick them in the ground a bit.

5) If you are going to use a tarp to cover the table then put a long pole across the top of the structure by laying it on top of where the tripods are lashed.


P1000175 by pandabean2010, on Flickr

6) Once you have this setup it is time to start making the table surface, you need to cut shorter pieces of wood and lay these across the top of the two long poles. You can carry on further to the end of the long poles if you want a larger surface to work on. We kept this one short due to the time we had.


P1000178 by pandabean2010, on Flickr


Few other things to consider making the table more useable

• If you are going all the way to the end with the table top poles and you plan to use the tarp as cover. You will need two additional long poles which will be used to keep the front of the tarp lifted providing access and shelter for those working at the table.
  
• If you have the time and want a relatively flat surface, you can split each of the table top logs in half and lay them on.
  
• If the sticks you are using for the table top are uneven then try and match thin end to thick end to help even it out.

 

[Whittler Kev]

Nice one

Come on Mr. Fenna. Lets have a tutorial on your portable one as well then

 

[redandshane]

Thats nicely done.
Things like that are so useful
Yes you can manage without; but once you have made one it gets plenty of use
Another thing I use is a "tool tree"
Simply a branch with a few forks off cut appropriate height and sited conveniently to hang my knife saw etc on-saves me mislaying stuff as I have a tendency to scatter things around.

 

[Pandabean]

Thats nicely done.
Things like that are so useful
Yes you can manage without; but once you have made one it gets plenty of use
Another thing I use is a "tool tree"
Simply a branch with a few forks off cut appropriate height and sited conveniently to hang my knife saw etc on-saves me mislaying stuff as I have a tendency to scatter things around.

Yup exactly, we made one down at the moot and it was pretty handy for keeping all our gear in one place and provided the extra work area of the ground.
I have heard of the "tool tree", its something that I mean to setup each time but usually end up forgetting.

 

[BOD]

A table is fine but I like a seat if I am going to be there a while.

Its different where you are of course but an A frame lashed to a single tree is an option here.

Some fotos of our BBQ table being built.

 

[Crowe]

Nice job Bod, wish we had bamboo like that in the UK. Would appreciate pics of other projects in the bush.
Crowe

 

[jamin]

 

[Nonsuch]

Good idea and design nicely executed. These things are incredibly useful especially with muddy ground

 

[Dark Horse Dave]

Great stuff, thanks for posting

 

[Shingsowa]

Great idea! I normally have to wander around looking for three trees at the correct spacing...

 

[Native Nathan]

Great Set up thanks for sharing

 

[John Fenna]

This is the one I have up in my little bit of woods - it was meant to be temporary but has been there years now simply 2 forked sticks driven into the ground then 2 bearers layed from these to a convenient branch and a "table top" of loose rods layed on them

This one is a transportable table made of 3 "h" shaped frames - two get hammered into the ground, the third layed across them as a support for a bungied "table top" of rods and the sticky-outy bit get used for hanging things

Then a bad photo of the big boy table we built at the moot - two tripods supporting bearers with the tabletop rods being sewn on with cord. It supported a fully grown mans weight easily!