Tripod and pot crane over the fire

Three points always lie in one plane. That is why a three-legged stand sits on any ground without rocking, while a four-legged one often wobbles. The weight of the pot at the crossing point is spread across all three legs. As long as the feet stand firm and do not slide, the legs cannot shift against each other.

A pot crane works differently: it is a lever. A long, strong branch lies at an angle over the fire. At the front it rests on a forked stick that acts as the pivot, and at the back it is weighed down with stones or fixed under a peg in the ground. The pot pulls down at the front end, and the rear end holds against it.

You regulate the heat through height. An adjustable hook – a stick with several notches or short side branches – lets the pot hang higher or lower depending on the notch. Close to the embers water boils faster; higher up, food just stays warm without burning.

The poles must be strong, dry and sound, about chest to shoulder high and roughly the same length. Rotten or very thin wood can break under the weight of a full pot. Lay the three poles side by side, join them near the top with a tripod lashing, stand them up and spread the legs evenly.

The lashing is the weak point above the fire. Synthetic cord melts, natural fibre chars – either can break. That is why the lashing sits well above the flame, and in the hot zone directly above the pot a piece of chain or a wire hook replaces the cord. The poles themselves must not reach into the flame.

The pot needs a firm bail handle. Before use, load the tripod with the filled but cold pot and shake the legs. Only when everything stands steady do you place it over the fire.

A tipping pot of boiling water causes serious scalds. So keep children and animals away from the fire, never leave the pot unattended and only lift it off the hook with a glove or a stick. The bail gets very hot over the fire. For large scalds, call the local emergency number (112 in the EU).

Check the lashing regularly while the fire is burning – charred cord can break without warning. Do not stand the tripod on loose ground where a leg can sink or slide. In windy places with flying sparks, it is better not to make a fire at all.

Local rules decide whether and where open fires are allowed. With a fire ban or high wildfire risk, the fire stays unlit. After cooking, put it out completely, take the tripod down, take the cord with you and scatter the wood.

A tripod is handy in group camps with a fixed, permitted fire site, where water is boiled or food kept warm over a longer time. A pot crane is quicker to build when a suitable long branch and a forked stick are at hand.

Both structures take more time than a stove. Where open fires are banned or it is very windy, a stove is the better choice. Improvised stands are not meant for very heavy pots. For the poles: only dead wood where allowed, or with the landowner's permission.

Tripods and pot cranes are among the classic camp structures described in scouting and bushcraft handbooks. They combine two basic skills: lashings with cord and carved notches. So building a tripod lets you practise both at once.

Even if you may not make a fire, the tripod is good practice. You can build it in a garden or on permitted ground and hang a lantern or a water bag from it, for example.