FISHER Papa, Mama, and Baby Bear Details (Bear Series)

[david of ark]

Hello, I found this forum, and I would like to find out more about my Papa Bear wood stove. Any additional information would be much appreciated.
I purchased this stove in Cookeville, Tennessee in 1979. We used it to heat our un-insulated farm house for three years. It was superb, burned mostly shagbark hickory. Moved to Arkansas, and the stove is still in the barn, unused. I'm planning to sell it on CL. I'm having second thoughts, maybe. Haha.

Serial no: FS12-5027
Patent no: D287798
On back of door: E

There is a sticker on the bottom with this info.

Unit Identification
Part No. 9916347
Prod. Ord. 4952
Unit 1240-0037

Thanks in advance.
David

 

[coaly]

Probably came from the licensee in Ashville North Carolina who had Tennessee rights. All those numbers seem like a Hesston Stove body from Kansas since they weren't big on numbers down yonder . Possibly an H stamped in the ash fender trim in the front? The licensed fabricator bought in bulk from Hesston and would hang the door before shipping to your distributor. Do you remember what kind of store sold it? More were from hardware stores and other businesses that supplemented their sales during winter with them than stove shops back then.
You can probably get as much as you paid for it, but don't expect to find another one easily once it's gone. A baffle installed easily will make it act like a different stove. Connected to a 6 inch insulated chimney you'll be amazed.

 

[justart]

just wanted to share a picture of my latest papa bear restoration....

 

[BIGChrisNH]

just wanted to share a picture of my latest papa bear restoration....

View attachment 311970 View attachment 311971 View attachment 311972

That's a really good looking example, nicely done. I've always wanted a Fisher, even though I know they're not as efficient. Love the simplicity and reliability of them

 

[justart]

👍 thank you

 

[Jamiefire]

Just wondering if you can help me identify my newly acquired Fisher papa bear stove. I wrestled it out of my neighbors house and drug it across the lawn on my wife's lawn cart myself...what a beast of a stove! From what I have read it is an older model because of the solid metal knob and pipe cap air dampers. What I can find no information on nor photos of is a dial on the door under the letters "er" and between the fir trees. It has four holesand can be turned so that all 4 holes on the plate line up with holes in the door that appear to feed into some kind of diffuser plate on the back of the door...any idea on the age and this unique dial?

 

[coaly]

This is an added crude secondary combustion air intake. Not factory, as well as the welded handles on the pipe cap dampers.

The upper intake mixes air with smoke particles in the hope they will combust above the fire reducing smoke and creosote formation.

Without a glass door, this will be trial and error. About 500f stove top is the time to open it, and watch smoke.

 

[Jamiefire]

This is an added crude secondary combustion air intake. Not factory, as well as the welded handles on the pipe cap dampers.

The upper intake mixes air with smoke particles in the hope they will combust above the fire reducing smoke and creosote formation.

Without a glass door, this will be trial and error. About 500f stove top is the time to open it, and watch smoke.

Thanks much. I love my stove and it is fun that it has such a storied history. Any clue as to the year of manufacture?

 

[coaly]

Thanks much. I love my stove and it is fun that it has such a storied history. Any clue as to the year of manufacture?

If it was from Minnesota, 1975.

The first year ‘74 was all Oregon and Canada.

The licensee for MN was Roy Smith and Loren Trachsel, from Minneapolis. They were not welders, hiring the fabricator Self Suffiency which became Sierra Stove.

 

[Jamiefire]

If it was from Minnesota, 1975.

The first year ‘74 was all Oregon and Canada.

The licensee for MN was Roy Smith and Loren Trachsel, from Minneapolis. They were not welders, hiring the fabricator Self Suffiency which became Sierra Stove.

Very much appreciate and respect your knowledge....most likely from MN as that is where I am. It is in great shape and should last my lifetime! I will do some research. Refinished with my Viking fan on it.

 

[Mlux]

New too the forum as well. Please try to talk me out of driving across the province to purchase this. Seems to be in great condition but it is a far drive and the seller probably knows these have a bit of a cult following.

These stoves seem to fit my needs. Wood is basically free where I live so I don't mind the additional consumption as a trade off for the amazing radiant heat.

It would be a secondary or supplemental heat source, I'm not worried about getting up 15 mins before the thermostat kicks in our nat gas furnance. Nat gas is cheap and abundant where we live - but of course house furnances don't do much for heating up floors or furnishings like radiant heat does.

This rear exit, UL listed, "modern" Mama seems to be exactly what I need. Coaly do you or any other member well versed in these have any input? It would be placed in the basement of our block/PWF foundation house and be used to heat a 1700 bungalow.

 

[coaly]

New too the forum as well. Please try to talk me out of driving across the province to purchase this. Seems to be in great condition but it is a far drive and the seller probably knows these have a bit of a cult following.

These stoves seem to fit my needs. Wood is basically free where I live so I don't mind the additional consumption as a trade off for the amazing radiant heat.

It would be a secondary or supplemental heat source, I'm not worried about getting up 15 mins before the thermostat kicks in our nat gas furnance. Nat gas is cheap and abundant where we live - but of course house furnances don't do much for heating up floors or furnishings like radiant heat does.

This rear exit, UL listed, "modern" Mama seems to be exactly what I need. Coaly do you or any other member well versed in these have any input? It would be placed in the basement of our block/PWF foundation house and be used to heat a 1700 bungalow.


View attachment 334927View attachment 334928View attachment 334929

You’re going to love your new stove. You know you want one. I’m not talking you out of it.

Adding a baffle and even adding secondary burn tubes is a possibility. This is built better, thicker and heavier than what you will buy new for the price.

 

[Comptondanielle006]

Since the Everything Fisher thread has so much hard to find information, I'll start a thread with detailed info on each model as I put it together.

Anyone needing information on their Papa, Mama or Baby Bear single door stove is likely to find it here. Please ask if you don't find what you need !

Papa Bear UL Unlisted pre 1980 with 1 door, and two air intakes.

Width ; 20" across top plate.
Depth ; 40" overall with ash fender (shelf)
Approx. weight 486 pounds
Logs to 30"
Heats approx. 2000 s.f. (some ads list heating area up to 2250 s.f.)
(recommended area 1750 – 2250 s.f.)

Flue size 6 inch top, rear or side
Door opening ; 10" wide X 11" high
Price 12/13/74 $325

Mama Bear UL Unlisted pre 1980 used same door as Papa Bear;

Width ; 17 1/2" across top plate.
Depth ; 35" overall with ash fender (shelf)
Approx. weight 410 pounds
Logs to 24"
Heats approx. 1500 s.f. (some ads list heating area up to 1750 s.f.)
(recommended area 1250 – 1750 s.f.)
Flue size 6 inch top, rear or side
Door opening ; 10" wide X 11" high
Price 12/13/74 $300

Baby Bear UL Unlisted pre 1980 with 1 door, and one air intake.

Width ; 15 1/2" across top plate.
Depth ; 29" overall with ash fender (shelf)
Approx. weight 245 pounds
Logs to 18"
Heats approx. 1000 s.f. (some ads list heating area up to 1250 s.f.)
(recommended area 900 – 1250 s.f.)
Flue size 6 inch rear
Door opening ; 8" wide X 9" high
Price 12/13/74 $225

Measurements from original 1977 prints, weights from ad; Dec. 6 1979

The first airtight steel plate stove was welded together October 1973, and simply called “The Fisher Stove”. It was the Papa Bear size. Built with a steel plate door and side vented flue to sit across a blocked off fireplace, it was invented to heat Bob and Carol Fisher’s home. Family and neighbors who saw it soon wanted one.
One of the first stoves made was for Carol’s cousin Ed who rented her old home next door. Helping Bob carry the stove into the house, red in the face and puffing, Ed said “Man, really a bear, ain’t it”? Bob said “yeah, a Papa”, and the name stuck; The Papa Bear was born.
Shortly after going into production, the need for a smaller stove was realized and the Mama Bear was designed 5 inches shorter, 2 inches narrower than the Papa Bear using the same door. Later, Baby Bear with a single air intake was made for heating smaller areas.
These were the only three models available up until 1976 with the addition of the double door Fireplace Series.

The first cast iron doors were “flat top” with FISHER – STOVE across the top, and “Springfield Oregon Pat. Pendg” under the name. They used a chrome ball for the handle and a 2 inch iron pipe cap for the air intake adjustment. A few doors cracked between the air intake holes, so the doors were made thicker with Fir trees across the front for added strength. (Fir being the most common fuel in Oregon)View attachment 66887 View attachment 66889
The next improvements were spring handles and Bob’s father Baxter’s air intake knob invention, patented as an “air damper” now known as the aluminum finned “draft cap”.

Safety testing was done by different agencies across the US, and during the late 70’s Fisher pioneered testing that became standardized by Underwriter Laboratory.
The redesigned stoves of 1980 - 1988 featured the new arched style door top called “Cathedral Style”, with an angled Fisher logo. Stove corners were no longer welded with angle iron corners becoming the legs. A one piece box was bent on the corners to make a seamless box.View attachment 66888 View attachment 66890

As the stove market became saturated with many copycat stove makers, brass and nickel plated doors along with the coveted “Bear Feet” became available to dress up an otherwise black box. (Casted with white metal or "Pot Metal" they were available in Nickel or Black oxide finish for $3.00 each !) Glass doors and screens were only available for the Fireplace Series to view the fire and had a good share of the market even though the efficiency of the Bear Series could not be beat.

The Bear Series models were the most efficient due to a large stove with small 6 inch outlet. As EPA smoke regulations became stricter, Fisher refused to enlarge the outlet or make other changes that would decrease the efficiency. Along with many other stove manufacturers, they were forced to stop production in 1988.

Hello Bob Fishers Grand daughter and I was interested in few things about this site or forum .
Curious why and how all this information is easily put out there for the world to see . I'm sure there are laws about this.
Nice to read everyone still enjoying my grandpa's stoves !

 

[weee123]

Hello Bob Fishers Grand daughter and I was interested in few things about this site or forum .
Curious why and how all this information is easily put out there for the world to see . I'm sure there are laws about this.
Nice to read everyone still enjoying my grandpa's stoves !

Information that was readily available on flyers from when the stoves were still being manufactured? What laws could possibly be being broken by giving out readily available info?

 

[Jamiefire]

New too the forum as well. Please try to talk me out of driving across the province to purchase this. Seems to be in great condition but it is a far drive and the seller probably knows these have a bit of a cult following.

These stoves seem to fit my needs. Wood is basically free where I live so I don't mind the additional consumption as a trade off for the amazing radiant heat.

It would be a secondary or supplemental heat source, I'm not worried about getting up 15 mins before the thermostat kicks in our nat gas furnance. Nat gas is cheap and abundant where we live - but of course house furnances don't do much for heating up floors or furnishings like radiant heat does.

This rear exit, UL listed, "modern" Mama seems to be exactly what I need. Coaly do you or any other member well versed in these have any input? It would be placed in the basement of our block/PWF foundation house and be used to heat a 1700 bungalow.


View attachment 334927View attachment 334928View attachment 334929

Beautiful stove! Did you buy it?