Chuckwagon Campfire Cooking Rack

Maybe you've seen those wrought-iron cooking setups that the cowboys use to hang their Dutch Ovens and other cast-iron over the camp fire.  A search on the Internet will reveal that they tend to be a bit expensive if not outright obscene in terms of cost.  Here's how to make one for less that $30 that will serve just as well as any on the market.

All you'll need is three 48-inch long x 1/2-inch black steel plumbing pipes from the hardware store.  In addition, you'll need two T-connectors (3/4 inch by 3/4 inch by 1/2 inch), perhaps 4 cheap 5/16ths carabiners or S-hooks, and 2 lengths of 2-foot x 1/4 inch link chain.  See the photograph that illustrates all of these components.  Total cost for all of these was less than $30.

Nothing to it!... Just thread two of the pipes into the matching 1/2 inch inputs in the two "T' connectors.

Take the back of your axe or perhaps a heavy mallet and drive the pipes with their connectors into the ground about a foot.  These obviously need to be spaced on either side of your intended campfire location and can't be farther apart than the length of the horizontal pipe (I used a 48 inch pipe but you can employ longer pipe if you like).

You'll notice that while the pipes are 1/2 inch in inner diameter, the straight-through inputs of the T-connectors are 3/4 inch in inner diameter.  This allows the pipe to slide through the connector.

Snap a carabiner or S-hook onto each end of the two lengths of chain.

Slide one carabiner/chain end onto the pipe.  Repeat for as many chain hangers as you've chosen to employ.

Adjust the height as you deem necessary by passing the loose end of the chains through the pot bails and snapping the carabiner to the appropriate chain link.  It's easy to modify the height of the pot above the fire and control temperatures as necessary!  Enjoy! - "Outdoor Ed" Livesay