Fisher Baby Bear

[warburtonplayer]

I have a baby bear that has the flu on the rear. Has anyone ever changed so that the flu is on the top of the stove.

 

[pen]

Folks have. Nothing crazy difficult, just need to know how to work with metal.

Only thing is, I'm afraid you may sacrifice some efficiency by doing this. A baffle would help, but may limit firebox size since the baby isn't very large.

Also, if this stove has a UL label, and it's required by your insurance company or local codes, making that kind of modification might make things difficult for you.

Are you looking to put this into a fireplace perhaps?

pen

 

[WeldrDave]

Folks have. Nothing crazy difficult, just need to know how to work with metal.

Only thing is, I'm afraid you may sacrifice some efficiency by doing this. A baffle would help, but may limit firebox size since the baby isn't very large.

Also, if this stove has a UL label, and it's required by your insurance company or local codes, making that kind of modification might make things difficult for you.

Are you looking to put this into a fireplace perhaps?

pen

Agree with pen , There are quite a few of us who can help you with the metal but my next question is why? It's not hard "if" you have a torch set up, or a plasma cutting rig, along with a welding machine able to pump out 100+ amps.
I'll be happy to give you the "step by step" if you want to go to that extreme. a local welder in your area may do it for about $150.00, it's a couple hour job.

 

[warburtonplayer]

Agree with pen , There are quite a few of us who can help you with the metal but my next question is why? It's not hard "if" you have a torch set up, or a plasma cutting rig, along with a welding machine able to pump out 100+ amps.
I'll be happy to give you the "step by step" if you want to go to that extreme. a local welder in your area may do it for about $150.00, it's a couple hour job.

 

[warburtonplayer]

Yeah im planning on taking it to a weld shop to have all the gone over just to make sure there is no gaps. Also on the inside of the door there is a GC stamped any idea what that means there are no other marking on the stove. It is a older flat top with chrome ball for the handle but it has the newer style fisher logo with trees on the door. Any idea what year it is and where it was made?

 

[WeldrDave]

Yeah im planning on taking it to a weld shop to have all the gone over just to make sure there is no gaps. Also on the inside of the door there is a GC stamped any idea what that means there are no other marking on the stove. It is a older flat top with chrome ball for the handle but it has the newer style fisher logo with trees on the door. Any idea what year it is and where it was made?

This one's a bit out of my league as far as markings, "but before you do anything"" it sounds like you may have a bit of a collectable piece, "but I'm not sure" "PLEASE" Don't modify it until you speak with Coaly. The chrome ball, as far as I know was very early in the Fisher line. Good Luck! Again, Get with Coaly

 

[warburtonplayer]

This one's a bit out of my league as far as markings, "but before you do anything"" it sounds like you may have a bit of a collectable piece, "but I'm not sure" "PLEASE" Don't modify it until you speak with Coaly. The chrome ball, as far as I know was very early in the Fisher line. Good Luck! Again, Get with Coaly

 

[WeldrDave]

Warburtonplayer, to the best of my knowledge, that "is" a very early model. Nice stove!, Nice score
Coaly can tell you more....

 

[warburtonplayer]

Warburtonplayer, to the best of my knowledge, that "is" a very early model. Nice stove!, Nice score
Coaly can tell you more....

The stove is in great condition other than the pipe on the inside has broken from heat. I want to get a welder to put a new pipe in it and check all the welds to make sure it is safe to put in the house.

 

[CamFan]

the weekest point on the stove for a weld check is where the legs meet the top. When the top is installed (tacked) it is turned over and the legs are tacked on, then the top is welded solid to the front, sides and back and over the legs. We found this to be a warrenty problem and we started welding the inside of the stove in the corners to seal behind the legs too. to test if it leaks.... empty the stove then shop vac the inside. use an air hose with a nozzel. spray high pressure air all the way around the weld and real good at the legs. you will hear if there is a leak. Where the top stepped down was the next weak point. The welder generally stopped here and if the next pass was not overlaped good it could leak right there. It was never an issue until a downdraft situation. Good luck

 

[mouse]

I did it--It worked fine but not as well as with the rear exhaust. I haven't put in a baffle but I think about it as the stove does its imitation of a freight train--chugging away. If I didnt need the space, i wouldn't do it again.

mouse

 

[coaly]

Welcome to the Forum mouse. Did you extend the vent pipe down into the stove ?
Original was 6 inch OD X 12 Ga. pipe cut 5 inches long.

I've found Baby Bears are the most difficult to get to burn smooth. (with the same 6 inch insulated chimney used testing the other models)
Do you have a 6 inch flue all the way up or are you trying to heat a larger masonry flue? That's the most common cause. They can't handle extremely high flue where they cool towards the top either.
You may be loading too heavy before the flue is hot enough all the way up ?
A slower chuff, chuff is usually the smoke cooling in flue and igniting in the stove as it stalls or drops. A faster "flutter" can be starving for air with a good draft ; More air or close damper, or both.
Try a open window in the room with stove to see if this makes a difference too. Baby Bears are usually in smaller areas, and if it's a tight home, it can be starving even fully open. Extremely dry wood seasoned too long out gasses too fast and causes it as well. Not much air space in a Baby, so it doesn't take much.

The baffle design for a Honey Bear (smaller double door model - like a mini Grandma) is shown below and doesn't encroach on loading room. It can be added in a stove without welding by drilling 3 holes in the sides of pipe near bottom and hanging J hooks made of threaded rod to hang the baffle plate on. Drill 3 holes through the plate for rod to project through. The plate can then be adjusted up and down to adjust vent opening for draft of particular chimney. This helps slow smoke from falling into stove that has lost it's boyantcy in flue.

 

[mouse]

I simply cut the heavy gauge flue off the back and welded it on top--having the pipe stick into the stove might help--the hanging baffle is exactly right.
I used the stove for years with the rear flue so can say that the flue on top is a very different flow. Also just fer fisher history--this stove went thru a huge house fire ,dropping thru the floor onto its red hot legs--they splayed this way and that- but no real harm was done to the stove I just bent them back-also the aluminum air control melted off.