Now what?

W

W. Hilditch

Active member
Here we have a circa 1870/80 water pot commonly called a tea kettle. It arrived coated in black seasoning, with two rusted out 1/4” holes in it rather than one and a small crack, it was an inch longer than advertised (12” rather than 11” which killed it’s chosen display place), the feet are not long enough to stop it from spinning and it arrived with a chipped spout sticking out of the box by retail ground rather than the priority mail I paid to have. Needless to say, it was free thanks to Paypal.

Did my duty and gave it a lye bath followed by the e-tank. No name, no numbers, just a gate mark. It appears to have had a coating/plating once upon a time but nowhere is it thick enough to tell what it was. It is not paint. Just enough to discolor the CI in places. The rust you see is mostly flash rust I think. The inside is rust. Serious rust. Probably 50 to 99% of the CI thickness.

I don’t want it and don’t know anyone who would want it. I’m not into selling stuff and have no idea where it will land. Do I fill the holes with high temp Quick Steel? Oil it? Season it? Paint it? Bury it? Now what?







Hilditch
 
The only suggestion I can come up with involves the use of a sledge hammer, preferably at a time when you need to release some pent up aggression.
 
If it were mine.....Paint it some color easy on the eyes....put pea gravel up past the hole.....add some rich soil....give it to the wife and let her plant whatever favorite flowers/fern in it and enjoy what life it has. Or...run a 1/4" cable thru the hole out the top and make yourself a good boat anchor.
 
Ty: I try not to get there. Most of a 12 pack normally works.

MD: I’m thinkin’. I did recently donate a starter motor to the boating community.

Kevin: I do OK with my open sighted Henry mag and Marlin 30-30 at 100 yards, but 200 is out of my range. However, if I patched the holes and filled it with tomato sauce at 50 yards that could be a sight to see!

I’m getting the gist. More ideas? Please step up.

Hilditch
 
Kev, if you decide to take on such a cool, but significant project a gallon of bed liner from an auto parts store may be the way to go. Dilute it, fill a pot and pour it into the next one, etc. You make me glad I only have one with issues.

I can picture your idea out in front of a dirt/gravel parking lot country store that sells cast iron in the South.

Hilditch
 
Hilditch, Good grief! Don't blow up that tea kettle. I'd buy it from you "as is" if I could because it's another one of those "never seen one like it" items. Actually, the "water feature" and plant pot ideas are pretty good. Then, there are always yard sales and flea markets--just give it a chance to live, please. Thanks in advance, Sharon
 
MD, thank you. Here is a partial view from my chair in the GR:



This is what will bring many more smiles. It even came with the flowers and a baby sparrow.



Thanks again.
Susan

PS: Sharon, I hope you feel better now.
 
Good choice on the color. That really brings out the greenery and the flower colors.
See....Told you that pot still had life....
 
The above was probably purchased 140 years ago as a tea kettle. It knew it wasn’t a kettle, but a pot. Over the years it was mainly used as a water pot to heat water for dish washing as well as Saturday baths. In the winter it kept it’s place on the stove to watch over the cooking of thousands of meals and add some humidity to the house. A full pot could last 12 hours before needing a refill at a nice low boil/simmer. It had it’s turns as a tea pot and a coffee pot but not often. It served it’s owners well but finally came to the end of it’s useful water heating life after a long battle with cast iron cancer.

Now it is a flower pot, and one we are proud to have.

Hilditch
 
I think Dave meant the pot, as he probably isn’t aware of how really good that liz (see it’s foot) and I have it here in the N. GA mountains.

Hilditch
 
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