Help with Fisher Mama Bear

[cloyd915]

We were recently given a Fisher Mama Bear stove by a family member and need a little help with information and clearances. Any info you have on dating these stoves, advice on use and most importantly installation would be great. Can't seem to find much online. We would love to get our hand on a copy of an owners manual.

Thanks in advance, we're cold!!

 

[coaly]

If you have a UL listed version after 1980 with a listing tag on the back, you can go by clearances given on the tag, or find a manual.
If you have a pre 1980 stove (no baffle inside, angle iron up sides that form the legs at bottom, no tag) you need to go by the NFPA 211 codes on solid fuel burning appliances for unlisted stoves.

PLEASE READ THIS ; https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/wood_stove_clearances_installing_it_safely

 

[summit]

Irregardles, keep it 36" away from anything combustable...

 

[WES999]

You can find a copy of the manual here: https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Fisher_Stoves/
The Fisher stoves are built like tanks, put out a ton of heat and burn a bunch of wood.

 

[coaly]

You can find a copy of the manual here: https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Fisher_Stoves/
The Fisher stoves are built like tanks, put out a ton of heat and burn a bunch of wood.

Cloyd915, If you do in fact have a single door Mama Bear, you have a "Bear Series" stove. The manual above is for the UL listed version of the Fireplace Series stoves. The Bear Series (single door) became the VI series after listing, and will be tagged as such. They also have a bottom shield like the newer Fireplace models shown in that manual. All these listed stoves use the bolt on angled legs. Welded angle iron legs were the pre 1980 version.

The changes were made with the new style doors first put on the Fireplace series. So you will find some old style boxes with new doors (Fisher Logo on right side door only) all without the baffle before 80. The box was then changed to a wrapped corner instead of welded at the corners. Front was bent, and the rear corners were wrapped and skip welded. I believe the baffle was added at the same time of the box redesign, and gained the UL listing in 1980.
The changes on the Bear Series show some newer style boxes with old doors, and no baffle on the first redesigned boxes. So it appears they had some old doors to use up on the newer style boxes, then came the baffle and the UL listing.
Bottom line; It appears the cosmetic door change, box construction, and angled legs all came before the baffle. The angled feet were for the angle iron legs, and straight feet for the angled legs.
I've been in contact with many sellers on eBay and Craigslist to document when they purchased their stove and it's construction. I've also found one Mama Bear recently sold on Craigslist in Conn. with a Left hand hinged door. This door was cast with trees. Original welded pipe cap draft knobs. This stove has a one piece top, so it was after Fisher International was formed. All others I've seen have had right hand hinge doors including the doors on the original 3 piece tops with pipe cap draft dampers. The buyer only wants a stove to heat his garage, so a road trip to Conn. is in order if this new owner will give up this oddity.

I've attached a picture of a listing tag from a newer Bear Series with clearances.
And the left hand Mama. Stranger than your average Bear.

 

[summit]

You can find a copy of the manual here: https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Fisher_Stoves/
The Fisher stoves are built like tanks, put out a ton of heat and burn a bunch of wood.

Cloyd915, If you do in fact have a single door Mama Bear, you have a "Bear Series" stove. The manual above is for the UL listed version of the Fireplace Series stoves. The Bear Series (single door) became the VI series after listing, and will be tagged as such. They also have a bottom shield like the newer Fireplace models shown in that manual. All these listed stoves use the bolt on angled legs. Welded angle iron legs are the pre 1980 version.

The changes were made with the new style doors first put on the Fireplace series. So you will find some old style boxes with new doors (Fisher Logo on right side door only) all without the baffle before 80. The box was then changed to a wrapped corner instead of welded at the corners. Front was bent, and the rear corners were wrapped and skip welded. I believe the baffle was added at the same time of the box redesign, and gained the UL listing in 1980.
The changes on the Bear Series show some newer style boxes with old doors, and no baffle on the first redesigned boxes. So it appears they had some old doors to use up on the newer style boxes, then came the baffle and the UL listing.
Bottom line; It appears the cosmetic door change, box construction, and angled legs all came before the baffle. The angled feet were for the angle iron legs, and straight feet for the angled legs.
I've been in contact with many sellers on eBay and Craigslist to document when they purchased their stove and it's construction. I've also found one Mama Bear recently sold on Craigslist in Conn. with a Left hand hinged door. This door was cast with trees. Original welded pipe cap draft knobs. This stove has a one piece top, so it was after Fisher International was formed. All others I've seen have had right hand hinge doors including the doors on the original 3 piece tops with pipe cap draft dampers. The buyer only wants a stove to heat his garage, so a road trip to Conn. is in order if this new owner will give up this oddity.

I've attached a picture of a listing tag from a newer Bear Series with clearances.
And the left hand Mama. Stranger than your average Bear.

As I said B$ all the clearances are pretty much 3 ft... just install 3 ft to any unprotected surface, and you'll be OK... put up shields on the unprotected surfaces w/ 1" airspace, and you can decrease this by 2/3 max.. preferabbly 1/2. BTW, COALY: nice looking Fisher! all shined up and everything... You'd get @ 700 for that thing lookin like that up this neck o' D woods.

 

[coaly]

Thanks summit. A lot of that is the flash. It's satin.

Here's what they look like when I find them.
This one is on it's way from Washinton state to NE PA. Paid $200 with $211 to ship.
The 3 piece top shows the overhang at the upper cooking suface in the third pic.

See, my Papa Bear was too big for my house.
Then I tried the Mama Bear, but it smoked too much.
But my Baby Bear is just right !

 

[summit]

thats a very early fisher, can tell its an earlier door design... used and abused, and left to rust, but still sound, I am sure. a little grinder action, fresh paint, new bricks, good to go.

 

[coaly]

Holster that grinder dude !

This one's getting walnut shells thrown at it, at a very high rate of speed.

Gotta keep it smooth enough to sleep with. One more stove comes in the house, this may be her replacement.
At least I'll have a place to burn the paper plates.

 

[North of 60]

Holster that grinder dude !

This one's getting walnut shells thrown at it, at a very high rate of speed.

Gotta keep it smooth enough to sleep with. One more stove comes in the house, this may be her replacement.
At least I'll have a place to burn the paper plates.

Coaly, there is something that you know more, that we don't know, RE: Fisher Stoves. Your knowledge of them and passion for them as I read your posts is very impressive , in my eyes.. History Making Stoves. You have awesome input and am wondering your history with them. Just a hunch... ;-) Its nice to have your well respected input here and the knowledge of their history. Cheers.

 

[hareball]

Wow!! Nice find.

 

[tickbitty]

Holster that grinder dude !

This one's getting walnut shells thrown at it, at a very high rate of speed.

Gotta keep it smooth enough to sleep with. One more stove comes in the house, this may be her replacement.
At least I'll have a place to burn the paper plates.

Coaly, there is something that you know more, that we don't know, RE: Fisher Stoves. Your knowledge of them and passion for them as I read your posts is very impressive , in my eyes.. History Making Stoves. You have awesome input and am wondering your history with them. Just a hunch... ;-) Its nice to have your well respected input here and the knowledge of their history. Cheers.

Ditto, what up with that, Coaly?

 

[coaly]

OK, I'm not your average Bear;

 

[coaly]

Cloyd915; We need pictures if you want us to help you date your stove.

'"Ask your local fire department" That reminds me of when my neighbor bought his house last year with a Key Stoker coal burner down stairs. He never was shown how to light it by the original owners. So he asked our local fire chief about it's installation and how to get it going. A couple days later, I met him for the first time and we got talking about his problem lighting his stove. He said he had asked the chief to come over, and he put some paper and kindling IN THE ASH PAN to get the flames up to the burning plate with some coal on it !
Of course the other thing he told him was to have the chimney cleaned. A 5 year old place that only burned this coal stove ? They may be good to put a fire out, but I don't know about starting one.

I was a steam engine mechanic / fireman, (hence the name "coaly", engineers a hogger) and the number two sin is to get a fire going in the ash pan, heating the grates !

(The number one sin is to allow the water level below the crown sheet. You won't live long doing that more than once)

 

[hareball]

Nice! Super Spiffy Silver Series

 

[coaly]

Details, details

 

[coaly]

BTW that is not one of my stoves. (yet)
It is listed on eBay, $975 I believe. It is listed with the wrong manual, and the new firebrick is laid the wrong direction, but I'm bringing him up to speed. That's black Metalic Stove Bright.

 

[summit]

hold on, all these nice fisher stoves... chubbin up....

 

[coaly]

Lifter Legs and Poker

 

[summit]

you could open a fisher museum....

 

[coaly]

Here you go summit, That's the solid bronze dealer belt buckle on my wifes Victoria Secrets teddy. I call that stove My Teddy Bear. (yes, I decorate my stoves for Christmas with a home made tree skirt)

 

[summit]

WHERE DO YOU FIND THIS STUFF?

 

[coaly]

At Victoria Secrets.

 

[hareball]

Wish I had those bear paws!

 

[coaly]

Ah, you're into feet too huh?