The bracket is not designed to hang on the bowl. It hangs on the bowl handle. The handle fits into the larger slot, closest to the end of the table. If your attaching the table to a 18" kettle, the flat strap of the 18" MBH fits into the thinner slot of the bracket. The table then will be about 1 inch away from the kettle, allowing the lid to close. Keep in mind that most of these tables were manufactured during the era of MBH kettles. Some of these brackets will not fit over 1981 and newer kettles with wood bowl handles. My bracket will not fit over a wood bowl handle.