How to build a pot hanger (+video)

With this variable pot hanger, you adjust the necessary heat supply as you need it. This allows you to cook optimally in your bushcraft camp.

from Martin Gebhardt | Bushcraft | reading time 2 Min
Updated on 19 June 2023 14.946 views 100% found this guide helpful
How to build a pot hanger (+video)

Martin Gebhardt

From Martin Gebhardt. Check out my “About me” page.


👉 The key facts from this guide

  • A variable pot hanger is a useful tool for optimal cooking in your bushcraft camp.
  • It allows you to control the heat supply and ensures even heating of your cooking pot.
  • For the construction of the pot hanger, you need a long stick, a small stick with handle notches, and optionally a forked branch to support the long stick. The tools required are a knife and an axe.
  • The heat supply during cooking can be regulated by the different handle notches. With practice, you can set up your pot hanger in about 10 minutes.

Bushcraft also means culinary skills.

So that you can cook optimally in your camp, today you will learn how to make a variable pot hanger.

Why a pot hanger makes sense

The best way to cook is over a fire and not in or near the fire.

This offers the advantage that the heat comes from all sides, and you can control the heat supply. Even if you only place your pot on the edge of the fire, there is no even heating.

With a pot hanger, you can adjust the required heat supply as you need it. The pot hanger works like a normal stove. Whether hot, medium or lukewarm - everything is possible.

With this, you are optimally equipped in your bushcraft camp and can prepare delicious food.

The video about hanging pots

Watch the video about the pot hanger here. There you will learn all the details that are in the article.

What you need in terms of materials and tools

You will need the following materials:

  • a long stick, on which the small stick hangs
  • a small stick with handle notches, where the pot will hang later
  • a branch fork for supporting the long stick (optional)
Material for pot suspension
Material for pot suspension

You will need the following tools:

  • Knife
  • Axe

Do you have everything ready? Let's get started!

How the structure works

I will now briefly and concisely describe how you set everything up.

Long Stick

The long stick is sharpened at the bottom and then driven into the ground.

Above, you carve a flat suspension with a small notch.

Then the handle notches of the small stick are hooked into this notch.

Here you can see the flat suspension with the notch:

Later, the small stick with its handle notches will sit in the notch
Later, the small stick with its handle notches will sit in the notch

Branch Fork

You also sharpen the forked end of the branch and use it to support the long stick.

If you hang heavy pots on your pot hanger, the branch fork makes sense.

But you can also leave them out, then you just have to ram the long stick deep enough into the ground.

Small Stick

The small stick serves as a hanger.

Several handle notches are carved there, depending on how often the height needs to be adjusted.

Make sure that there is still some material left from the stick at the top. Then you have a handle that is well suited for adjusting the height.

At the very bottom, you carve a mirror-reversed handle notch so that the handle of your cooking pot can be hung.

If you want to know how to carve handle notches, then check out my video or read my article "The 4 most important notches for Bushcrafting".

This is what the little stick looks like:

The small stick gets the handle notches
The small stick gets the handle notches

At the end, everything looks like this:

Assembly of the pot hanger
Assembly of the pot hanger

Summary

The pot hanger is a great tool for preparing food or boiling water.

You regulate the heat supply through the different handle notches.

And now go out and build your own pot hanger!

Here again, practice makes perfect.

If you are skilled at it, you can build your pot hanger in 10 minutes.


How did you like the instructions? Were they understandable?

Have you ever made a pot holder yourself? What did you do differently?

As an alternative to the pot hanger, you can build yourself a tripod.

Take care, Martin
Martin Gebhardt

Author of the guide


Martin Gebhardt

Hey, I'm Martin. On my blog, you will learn the basics and numerous details about living in the wild. I think survival, bushcraft and the good life in nature are the keys to happiness. Find me here on Instagram or on YouTube. You can find more about my mission on the About Me page.

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