Cast iron kettle. Bad idea?

[Lilburner]

I found a cast iron kettle at my parents house. I thought "That will be awesome for my wood stove!"

Well it's unseasoned-looking, and marked Made in China.

Wouldn't that rust like nobody's business?

I think it's supposed to be just decorative. Can't really season it.

[Nemo]

Yeah, Id be real careful with that.  Maybe use it build a fire in?

Nemo

[RWS]

Something to put your rocket stove in as a windbreak?   It may work OK.  Wash it out good.  Use it in processing your used grease/cooking oil in.  It will slowly become seasoned.

[Country Singer]

My understanding is that the cast iron kettles were only used as a method for keeping some humidity in the house. 


https://www.hunker.com/13420046/how-to-care-for-a-cast-iron-kettle-humidifier

[RWS]

Something to put your rocket stove in as a windbreak?   It may work OK.  Wash it out good.  Use it in processing your used grease/cooking oil in.  It will slowly become seasoned.

Dpn't know why, but I was thinking cast iron dutch oven.

[Lilburner]

My understanding is that the cast iron kettles were only used as a method for keeping some humidity in the house. 


https://www.hunker.com/13420046/how-to-care-for-a-cast-iron-kettle-humidifier

Mine's the exact some one from the beginning of that post. I guess it's easier to keep seasoned than I thought. I have to take it off and drain it is the key. Apparently I need some sort of instrument to track humidity. I'm not a real good judge and then my heels split in half.

[RWS]

We use a cast iron vaporizer.  It is hard to visualize so I took a picture.   The wood stove is the main heat when temps get in the 30's and below.  Central heat pump does not do well at all when it is cold.  Works wonders when there is no power from winter ice storm.  Stove has ash drawer on bottom so it's easy to empty with a fire going.  Stove has a catalytic element to burn off gasses, ect.  Keeps the chimney pipe clean.  In South Georgia you don't find houses with wood stoves much.  Since I built my own house I wanted heat without utility power.  I guess I was a prepper 30 years ago.  A couple years ago I added a 1-1/2 ton heat pump split system.  It heats the back part of the house (kitchen - Radio room) and is off grid powered.

[tlwagg]

My mother in law gave me a big kettle and told me that it was used for the humidity not for drinking water. They do sell some small cast iron tea kettles if you want something like that. Those will run about $75 -$100.

[John Galt 1]

I've got one like in your picture.       Once a year I coat it with oil and toss in in the oven at 350 degrees for a few hours to keep it rust free on the outside.      The inside would probably also stay rust free but I then keep it on the stove all winter adding moisture to the air and the inside coating flakes. 

A friend simply sprays his with black stove paint once a year.      But either way I think the coating would impart a nasty flavor to any water you tried to drink.