Brass door question

[mtndude]

First,
I am a new proud owner of a fisher insert..
First, are my doors brass plated, or did fisher make solid brass doors.
Second.. How do I restore my doors, to make them look new again.. some of the picture ive seen in the forums look so great, and i would like to know the process of restoring mine..
Thanks

 

[coaly]

Welcome to the Forum;
All Fisher doors were cast iron. Cathedral arched top were available with brass or nickel plate at an additional charge.

I prefer Maas metal polish since it can be used on gold, silver, and precious metal. It even brings cast iron back to like new. It takes a lot of rubbing, and follow directions.
Polishing when cold once a year keeps them like new. I do them by hand, but a buffing wheel can be used.

If you want to paint the door at a later time, after polishing, you can paint the entire door, and wipe the polished area with mineral spirits before it dries completely and before firing for final cure.

A few pictures found on the forum are reconditioned stoves that have been re-plated. Some resellers do not paint and plate doors like original.

Draft caps can be plated, or solid brass depending on model and year.

This should be your finished original Brass Insert.

Hand painted Insert was originally black painted doors.

Original Nickel Baby Bear;



Older flat top doors were painted black. When you see highlighted or plated flat top doors, it has been customized by the owner;

 

[CamFan]

Here is the process that was used for the plating. After the doors were cast if they were to be chrome or brass plated they sanded the trees, Fisher lettering and the trim band around the outer edge. this was not done by us, it was done at a plating process plant. We got them in chrome plated first and then they got brass plated if we wanted brass doors. I remember asking why pay for both processes? I was told it was required for the brass plating to work. They were great looking when we got them back.

We also sent glass out to get them etched.

 

[coaly]

The XL made in Utah was plated rough. I guess just not sanded. They are sharp, but no shine.



Here's one that was sent out for re-plating, done smooth. Not original.