Baby Bear delivery soon - advice needed

[drkinva]

Hello everyone - This looks like the right place for advice on old stoves. I found a '70s Fisher Baby Bear to replace my old Jotul 118 (also bought used with one crack that was successfully treated by drilling holes at either end of a 8" crack, but when a very jagged crack was discovered on the other side wall, I decided it was time to replace). The FBB looks plenty sturdy and the right size for my 768 sq. ft. house. Not being familiar with the Fishers, I wondered if it's missing a baffle inside. There's a small plate just below the vent, probably 5" square - but that's all.

Second questions: I need to replace about 5 firebricks. Are all firebricks made the same? I'd opt for whatever I can find close by in central VA, but I also want the things to last. They look like they are held in place by a couple of flanges, but are there tricks for removing and replacing them? I thought I'd try to unload all the bricks and the door to ease moving pains.

OK, one more question while I'm at it: I assume there's a market for the intact pieces of my old Jotul. I'd love to recycle what I can of it.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice. Actually, most of my research on my new/old stove was on this site - I was contemplating a Vt. Castings resolute acclaim also, but happy I found the Baby instead.

 

[tickbitty]

There have been a couple posts about this on other fishers just recently, but a Mama and a Papa! Do a search up top for "Fisher" and you can see all of those!

 

[pen]

No baffle in there other than what you have seen.

I hope you didn't pay too much for it. While it is a stove will still be serviceable for your g-grandchildren to use, these old "smoke dragons" chew through wood and make you stay on top of your chimney more than the modern stoves do. Plus you have no glass viewing window.

I am a former fisher stove burner in my home, I have one in my cabin, and my good old grandmother still uses one as well (although not very often anymore).

They are like a model - T ford. Tough as hell, the best things around at the time, but we have moved on to better options.

I think for my home I would have opted for one of these http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053. At this price and qualifying for the 30% tax break, you'd have that stove in your home for about 550bux.

Now, if I came across a baby bear tomorrow for cheap (unlikely, but if I did) I wouldn't hesitate to put it in my shop for occasional use.

pen

 

[drkinva]

Thanks for the guidance here. I'm a good example of not doing quite enough research! After a more objective look at the archives here, I decided against the baby bear., got my deposit back and it went to a committed buyer - no questions asked so everyone is happy now. Not buying anything new is so ingrained in my psyche, I didn't want to consider a new stove. Thanks for the expertise, guys!

 

[tickbitty]

If you go new and opt for an Englander stove, Summer's heat, or one from overstockstoves.com, you are getting a well made stove made right here in Virginia, too!

 

[dsreese2]

i just traded a crossbow with a broken string for a fisher baby bear that is in great shape. hope to have it installed within 2-3-weeks the stove has a ul listing, and 6" vent.

i plan to install it on a porch surrounded by sliding glass doors, open the windows and door to let the heat into the house.

my first stove and new to this site.

i will keep all informed

 

[Jags]

Make no mistake - those old Fishers were built like tanks. If it fell out of the back of a truck, I would be concerned about hurting the road, not the stove.

That being said - they are old tech. That doesn't make them bad...just not as good. With the new tech (epa stuff) you get the advantage of less fuel consumption (often 50% less), less particulate matter during the burn, cleaner stacks (less creosote, easy to clean, less dangerous, etc.) and all around less pollution that your neighbors might have to deal with (if you have neighbors).

Some of this can be minimized by "learning the burn", but it will never be as good as the EPA Phase 2 stoves. Just say'in.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Two new wood burners on the forum. Welcome fellas.

 

[sebois]

I have a Baby Bear that I got from my Dad a few years back; we grew up with 4 Fishers in the house, but now that he's older he's phasing them out and going w/propane. I was going to put it in my cabin as a family heirloom, but decided to put it in my house instead.

I heat my 1800 s/f house to 75-78F on the first floor and 68-70F on the second floor, all winter with that one stove. We burn 4-5 cords of mixed seasoned hardwood with practically no creosote buildup whatsoever; the chimney is inspected by a cleaning svce every year and cleaned every 3 years.

Maybe it's the stove (UL listed, with two vents on the door instead of one), or maybe it is my technique, but we stay very warm and I have no complaints whatsoever (except for today: I rebricked the inside, which evoked a lot of complaining!). We have looked into an EPA-rated stove and a direct-vent wood fireplace, but the cost for either is prohibitive. I may but a Mama Bear for the increased burn time, but I can get a nine- or ten-hour burn with no problem now.

 

[firefighterjake]

I have a Baby Bear that I got from my Dad a few years back; we grew up with 4 Fishers in the house, but now that he's older he's phasing them out and going w/propane. I was going to put it in my cabin as a family heirloom, but decided to put it in my house instead.

I heat my 1800 s/f house to 75-78F on the first floor and 68-70F on the second floor, all winter with that one stove. We burn 4-5 cords of mixed seasoned hardwood with practically no creosote buildup whatsoever; the chimney is inspected by a cleaning svce every year and cleaned every 3 years.

Maybe it's the stove (UL listed, with two vents on the door instead of one), or maybe it is my technique, but we stay very warm and I have no complaints whatsoever (except for today: I rebricked the inside, which evoked a lot of complaining!). We have looked into an EPA-rated stove and a direct-vent wood fireplace, but the cost for either is prohibitive. I may but a Mama Bear for the increased burn time, but I can get a nine- or ten-hour burn with no problem now.

Steel stoves such as an Englander are pretty reasonable . . . if and when you're ready to make the plunge . . . you can save some money by ordering them at a discount on-line . . . and with the tax credit the price can get even better . . . again . . if and when you're ready to make the change.