“Built to support cast iron cookware over a fire, this sturdy steel tripod brings both function and flair to outdoor cooking.”
If you love cooking over an open flame, this easy DIY project is a fantastic companion for your next camping trip. Built to support cast-iron cookware over a fire, this sturdy steel tripod brings both function and flair to outdoor cooking—whether you’re whipping up a peach cobbler, crisping a campfire pizza, or charring some delicious carne asada. We’ve crafted this project to allow for cooking on a grill over a fire or hanging a Dutch oven. There are lots of options to choose from!
Designed and built by Cole, a Dunn Lumber Lake Union employee of three and a half years, this project was born out of a simple goal: to get more use out of his Dutch oven. This isn’t Cole’s first DIY rodeo. In the past, he’s tackled an outdoor dining table and dining bench, a dog house, and a custom bench for his miter saw. This time, he wanted something portable and practical for the backcountry campfire cooking he enjoys in the North Cascades and Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
“What makes it yours,” he says, “is the size and attachments. You can add hooks, a grate, or even scale it up or down depending on your setup.”
This project involves cutting steel with an angle grinder or hacksaw, so safety is critical. Before you begin, take a look at our blog post on DIY Safety Basics: 10 Things You Need To Know, as well as the DIY Tool Guide: What Tools To Buy and How To Use Them for some helpful tips. We recommend using gloves, eye protection, ear protection, and having a fire extinguisher on hand.
Step 1: Prep the pipe
Using the thin cutting disc on your angle grinder, cut the threaded ends off the pipe first, then cut it to length. If you don’t have an angle grinder, a hacksaw will work.
Switch to a flap disc to bevel the edges to smooth out the cut ends.
Step 2: Prep the hub
Using the thin cutting disc, cut the threaded sections off of the eye-bolts and round ends.
Hook the eyes of the eye-bolts on a large quick link.
Step 3: Prep the oven-hanging chain
Cut your chain to length. We cut it to approximately 3’ but feel free to adjust the length based on your preference.
Attach a small quick link on one end—and attach an S hook to the other end.
Step 4: Prep the grate-hanging chain
Cut your remaining chain to four 2’ sections’ and one 1’ section. Attach the ends of all five sections to one quick link.
Then, attach a quick link to each of the free ends.
Using the four 2’ chain sections, attach each end to the rim of your grate using smaller quick links.
Step 5: Set up your campfire cooking stand
Arrange the “legs” of your cooking stand hub so they’re balanced.
Attach the oven-hanging chain quick link to the hub’s quick link.
Then, take the central quick link attached to the grate-hanging chain and hook it onto the S hook of the oven-hanging chain.
If you’d rather hang a Dutch oven or tea kettle directly over the fire without the grate, simply hook the handle onto the S hook of the oven-hanging chain.
Step 6: Fire it up!
Now that your DIY cooking stand is ready to go, it’s time to fire it up and cook something delicious at your campsite or over your backyard fire pit. Don’t forget to customize it with different hooks or grates for whatever cookware you prefer!
If you enjoyed this project, check out some of our other outdoor living projects for culinary enthusiasts like How To Build a DIY Outdoor Cook Station and How To Make a DIY Patio Cooler Stand.
