Fisher XL Questions

[Chelle790]

Hello
Could someone tell me how many of the Fisher XL models were made and which states they were built in. Mine has a UT serial # Thanks

 

[coaly]

Welcome to the Forum, and congrats on being one of the very few XL owners !

I saw that one on eBay (ser. #9428) on the front of that 8N Boomer;

I saved all the pictures since that was the first top vent I've seen with the "Sun Theme" door. Someone sent me a picture of a top vent with the Fir Tree doors, and that was when I learned they even made a top vent in an XL. But so far top vents have only showed up with the Fir Trees until this one.

Before my first post starting the "Everything Fisher" thread, no one knew what the model was called. The only one known had sold on eBay years ago in Arizona, and was nicknamed "The Unknown Bear". I found the ads in 1978 and 1979 Deseret News, from Utah and there was the picture of the stove with the western style writing. Until then, I wasn't even sure if that was a true Fisher product since they never used that type of script before.
So I know they were available in 78 and 79 with the sun door. They are not mentioned in the 1980 brochure. All the stoves with the sun door so far have the stainless tag under the left rear leg, with the UT. My doors also have what looks like the state profile of Utah cast into the inside of the doors.

What makes the XL even more fascinating is that it's built with a one piece wrap around body. This was 2 years before any other Fisher model was built like that. They also had the arched doors years before any other model, AND nickel plating on them, so it's as if the style of this model changed the entire line when they became Series IIl in 1980. Even the optional "Fireplace Style Legs" available after 1980 were designed like the welded style under the XL.
I don't think that screen was shown on the eBay auction. It's totally different than mine. So far the other 2 screens I've seen with this style have been different. But until now they were all stainless.

Here's my screen with ash fender removed. It pulls right off with pins;


There is no known record of how many Fisher Stoves were made of any model. It appears so far, these all came from Utah. I hope some day a welder or the license owner to build them in Utah will find this website and enlighten us. I know Bob had plans of starting some solar products, and this was the reason of the sun door. He stepped down and left others run the company due to his health (stroke) so apperantly it was not followed through.

It certainly needs a baffle plate if you're going to use it. They didn't add the "Smoke Shelf Baffle" until after 1980. No sun theme door stoves have surfaced with a baffle, only the XL with the fir tree door has one.

 

[raybonz]

Beautiful doors on that stove!

 

[coaly]

Here's a close up picture of it with a stunning dark blue sky background.
This is ser. #9428 ;



Notice the door finish on later stoves is rough with the nickel plating over the rough cast iron. Older XL has a polished surface under the nickel like the newer common door finish.

Here are my unfired doors inside and out of ser.#11469 showing the texture;