ABLE1 writes:

I have a friend that has a large baked porcelain pot used for
the canning process. Dimensions about 18" Diameter and maybe 16" Deep
Used on a stove to boil water with canning jars inside on a metal rack
for a period of time till done, etc.

There is a small hole at the bottom outside radius corner. Needless to
say the hole will not allow water to retain itself within the pot and
most likely will extinguish any flames that are applied to the pot.

The desire is to patch the hole without doing serious damage to
the rest of the pot. Anyone have any knowledge on what type
of repair will work the best with this "Holy Pot"??

My experience from a couple of decades on a near-zero budget, canning,
preserving, no electricity etc. and maintaining everything as cheaply
as possible is that nothing works really well for enamelware. Usual
cause of a hole is rust following chipped enamel. By the time you've
cleaned back to good metal for soldering or even JB Weld, you have a
big hole instead of a small one.

Stop-gap: Very small flat-headed stainless bolt through the hole.
Thin stainless washers either side, leather or silicone washers under
the metal ones & against the kettle surface. If the hole is in a curved
surface, you have to shape the metal washers to fit before installing.

Such bolts, complete with washers and leathers, intended for such
repairs, used to be in hardware stores. I have some but haven't seen
them in the store for decades.

My last failed enamelware item was a dishpan. JB Weld after acid prep
worked but didn't last. No new enamel dishpans in store (although
they do have the canning kettles you speak of) so I made a dishpan
from 16 ga. m/s. (From pieces, welded up, not raised in one piece.)
Will last my kids' lifetimes after they inherit it. A little heavier
than its predecessor.

--
Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada