I notice a lot of threads started with Fisher Stove questions.
My intention of this thread is for anyone wondering what model they have, or selling one, to be able to identify their stove, and then be able to learn the history behind it and find more technical information if they need it.
Bear Series (single door stoves)
Papa Bear ; Single door, two air intakes, takes up to 30 inch log. Heats up to 2250 sf.
Mama Bear ; Single door, two air intakes, takes up to 24 inch log. Heats up to 1750 sf.
Baby Bear ; Single door, single ait intake , takes up to 18 inch log. Heats up to 1250 sf.
Fireplace Series (double door stoves)
Grandma Bear ; takes up to 20 inch log and uses 5 bricks across back. Heats up to 1750.
Grandpa Bear ; takes up to 24 inch log and uses 6 bricks across back. Heats up to 2250.
Flat top doors were painted black, cast iron. They are pre 1980.
Arched top doors (Cathedral Style) are after 1979. They were available black, nickel plate, brass plate, and later brass and glass.
All stoves made to go into a hearth or fireplace are called Fisher Fireplace Inserts. (no bear name given)
They were available with solid cast iron doors, or brass and glass doors for heating up to 2000 sf.
Later, a smaller Insert with brass and glass or solid cast iron doors called the Honey Bear Insert was made to heat up to 1200 sf. The Polar Bear Insert was for fabricated metal or "zero clearance" fireplaces.
The first Freestanding Pedestal type fireplace / stove was the Mobile Home approved Goldilocks (Logs to 16") with outdoor air intake up through the center pedestal, no air intake through the doors. By 1983, two more pedstal type stoves were offered called Teddy Bear (same size as Goldilocks) and the smaller Honey Bear (logs to 14") These models were also available in a configuration for HUD and mobile homes with outside air intakes. (a freestanding, 4 leg mobile home approved, glass and brass door Honey Bear was also made).
More about these models will be found later in this thread. Size, and heating capacities can be found as well as dating your stove and much more.
ALL Fisher stoves are welded 1/4" thick steel plate, most having 5/16" thick tops. ALL steel plate construction is specified to be HRS or Hot Rolled Steel. Shield material is 22 gauge cold rolled steel.
A note for people restoring their Fisher Stove and paint that was used;
Early single door stoves were available black or brown.
That is now today's Stove Bright "Bark Brown".
Black was not metallic. First ones were brush painted. DeRusto Bar-B-Que Black was used on many and is not as black as Stove Bright Satin Black, today's choice. Here's an article about painting over DeRusto;
(broken link removed to http://forrestpaint.com/uploads/images/stovebright/09%20Trouble_User%20guide.pdf)
Stove Bright "Bark Brown" (by Forrest) was the first stove paint other than black made for the stove industry. Formulated for Fisher Stoves for a trade show, brown became the color used on literature and registered trademarks.
Stove Bright does make a Honey Glo, that is NOT the metallic brown that was used on later Fisher Stoves.
Stove Black, or Stove Polish is for cast iron, and not used on Fisher Stoves.
Maybe some articles I post can be added to the Wiki Fisher page as anyone sees fit. I'm not good with capturing web pages to make viewing easier, but I have some documented information, personal experience with my own stove collection, and trivia to share.
To learn about the Man who invented the air tight stove, this book gives a good understanding of the trials of a home grown business;
This book will be referenced in the thread. Click the Attachments Tab; Enjoy !
https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/bob-fisher/
l'll start with one of the questions some have on their mind about the 10 inch flue "Unknown Bear".
This is actually an XL Fireplace Series stove.
Here is an ad from August 1979 that depicts the Fireplace model. Yes, that ïs correct it heats up to 3000 square feet ! Notice the Western style logo in the ad.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FokqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dlsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4240,4159075&dq=fisher goldilocks stove&hl=en
Here is the best copy I could find near the beginning of the Fireplace Inserts dated December of '79. Notice this not only gives the dimensions and heating capacity of the new insert, but some other models in the line at the time as well. Wouldn't it be nice if every stove was listed in that Wiki article, and no one had to ask "What Bear is this" again ? I don't know how large a Wiki article should become and what information is considered pertinent.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ktIvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LPkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4126,1850967&dq=fisher stoves building&hl=en
Owners Manuals for Fisher Stoves can be found Here;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/fisher-stove-manuals-us.121743/
My intention of this thread is for anyone wondering what model they have, or selling one, to be able to identify their stove, and then be able to learn the history behind it and find more technical information if they need it.
Bear Series (single door stoves)
Papa Bear ; Single door, two air intakes, takes up to 30 inch log. Heats up to 2250 sf.
Mama Bear ; Single door, two air intakes, takes up to 24 inch log. Heats up to 1750 sf.
Baby Bear ; Single door, single ait intake , takes up to 18 inch log. Heats up to 1250 sf.
Fireplace Series (double door stoves)
Grandma Bear ; takes up to 20 inch log and uses 5 bricks across back. Heats up to 1750.
Grandpa Bear ; takes up to 24 inch log and uses 6 bricks across back. Heats up to 2250.
Flat top doors were painted black, cast iron. They are pre 1980.
Arched top doors (Cathedral Style) are after 1979. They were available black, nickel plate, brass plate, and later brass and glass.
All stoves made to go into a hearth or fireplace are called Fisher Fireplace Inserts. (no bear name given)
They were available with solid cast iron doors, or brass and glass doors for heating up to 2000 sf.
Later, a smaller Insert with brass and glass or solid cast iron doors called the Honey Bear Insert was made to heat up to 1200 sf. The Polar Bear Insert was for fabricated metal or "zero clearance" fireplaces.
The first Freestanding Pedestal type fireplace / stove was the Mobile Home approved Goldilocks (Logs to 16") with outdoor air intake up through the center pedestal, no air intake through the doors. By 1983, two more pedstal type stoves were offered called Teddy Bear (same size as Goldilocks) and the smaller Honey Bear (logs to 14") These models were also available in a configuration for HUD and mobile homes with outside air intakes. (a freestanding, 4 leg mobile home approved, glass and brass door Honey Bear was also made).
More about these models will be found later in this thread. Size, and heating capacities can be found as well as dating your stove and much more.
ALL Fisher stoves are welded 1/4" thick steel plate, most having 5/16" thick tops. ALL steel plate construction is specified to be HRS or Hot Rolled Steel. Shield material is 22 gauge cold rolled steel.
A note for people restoring their Fisher Stove and paint that was used;
Early single door stoves were available black or brown.
That is now today's Stove Bright "Bark Brown".
Black was not metallic. First ones were brush painted. DeRusto Bar-B-Que Black was used on many and is not as black as Stove Bright Satin Black, today's choice. Here's an article about painting over DeRusto;
(broken link removed to http://forrestpaint.com/uploads/images/stovebright/09%20Trouble_User%20guide.pdf)
Stove Bright "Bark Brown" (by Forrest) was the first stove paint other than black made for the stove industry. Formulated for Fisher Stoves for a trade show, brown became the color used on literature and registered trademarks.
Stove Bright does make a Honey Glo, that is NOT the metallic brown that was used on later Fisher Stoves.
Stove Black, or Stove Polish is for cast iron, and not used on Fisher Stoves.
Maybe some articles I post can be added to the Wiki Fisher page as anyone sees fit. I'm not good with capturing web pages to make viewing easier, but I have some documented information, personal experience with my own stove collection, and trivia to share.
To learn about the Man who invented the air tight stove, this book gives a good understanding of the trials of a home grown business;
This book will be referenced in the thread. Click the Attachments Tab; Enjoy !
https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/bob-fisher/
l'll start with one of the questions some have on their mind about the 10 inch flue "Unknown Bear".
This is actually an XL Fireplace Series stove.
Here is an ad from August 1979 that depicts the Fireplace model. Yes, that ïs correct it heats up to 3000 square feet ! Notice the Western style logo in the ad.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FokqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dlsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4240,4159075&dq=fisher goldilocks stove&hl=en
Here is the best copy I could find near the beginning of the Fireplace Inserts dated December of '79. Notice this not only gives the dimensions and heating capacity of the new insert, but some other models in the line at the time as well. Wouldn't it be nice if every stove was listed in that Wiki article, and no one had to ask "What Bear is this" again ? I don't know how large a Wiki article should become and what information is considered pertinent.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ktIvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LPkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4126,1850967&dq=fisher stoves building&hl=en
Owners Manuals for Fisher Stoves can be found Here;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/fisher-stove-manuals-us.121743/
Attachments
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