Has anybody bought or built a glass door for a Baby Bear? Help!

[slayed]

Hey,

I have a Fisher Baby Bear and I love the stove but I would like to put a window on it. I feel like the easiest way would be to put a new door on it. Maybe somebody builds them, or do I have to get one fabricated? Alternatively, I could cut away a window into the existing door but it would be a little messy. Anybody done this? Somebody has to have done this!!

 

[pen]

Not to discourage you, but to forewarn you, here's a few things to think about.

1. Simply adding glass will work, but it's going to soot up like crazy most likely. Modern stoves with glass have an air wash system that allows incoming air to go down over the door, helping to keep the glass clean. Glass is great, but only if you can see through it. You'd have to figure out something there with the design.

2. If this is a UL approved stove (if it's new enough) doing this will void the UL rating, which may affect your insurance company coverage or the resale of the stove (if you don't have another door for it). If it's not a UL approved stove, then so long as things are installed to NFPA 211 guidelines, I think this wouldn't be an issue.

pen

 

[slayed]

The stove is installed in my converted greyhound bus. I'm sure the inspector types would be quite concerned with a number of my installations. Thanks for the advice about the window sooting up though, thats a good point. I can do simple welding, might be able to design an intake system that washed down over the window (just put the intake at the top above the window?). What do you think?

 

[pen]

Probably the best way to try it.

 

[slayed]

Anybody else? Somebody done it? Success? Dismal failure?

 

[Corey]

I think a few people on here have done a retrofit. Perhaps not a Baby Bear specifically, but at least put a window in an old stove.

A couple of points:

1) For the likely cost to get someone to fabricate a door, you could probably have a decent down payment for some stove with glass built in.
2) You might keep an eye on ebay for a door which looks like it might fit, but again, somewhat of a guessing game, some fabrication involved to get it all to work.
3) If you elect the DIY method, definitely opt for pyroceram or neoceram. Regular glass or tempered glass won't work. Pyrex would be borderline, though I believe there is one stove out there...round barrel type job, IIRC, which uses a pyrex pie dish for a window.
4) If using the true pyroceram / neoceram, it has essentially no thermal expansion meaning it doesn't change dimension with heat and doesn't really suffer any 'thermal shock' [cue my picture of heating one side of glass with a cutting torch while pouring water on the other]. The same can't be said for the steel door. So you need to develop a way to clamp the glass firmly, usually with a fiber gasket for sealing, but still allow the door to expand / contract with heat. This is usually done with metal tabs which press gently on the glass, but still allow for some movement. Try to look at the set-up on a modern stove and duplicate that.
5) Prepare to clean it a lot! No air wash means it will likely soot up black after just a few fires. But wet newspaper dipped in ash should restore it for a few more.

 

[coaly]

Bear Series single door stoves did not come with screen or glass doors for fire viewing. Fireplace Series double door stoves had a screen and later glass doors available.
Also gasket the door seal in your stove if glass is used to cushion door. Only glass door models used gasket material.

You could make a steel plate door with glass opening, not cut the cast iron door and expect it to be strong enough.

It will require air intake for primary air and air wash for glass.

Note side primary air provided on sides and air wash under doors at front; IV model


Air slot across front for air wash;
Pic also shows side boxes that support air damper primary air intakes.

Or a slide control top and bottom as found on Honey Bear. This is the only intakes on the smaller stove and gives air wash top and bottom.
There is an air slot similar to IV above across front at top and bottom. Notice tab at bottom right with hole in it under hinge. A tool with bent end hooks into hole to slide the bar that goes across stove and opens air holes across stove bottom. Same type is at top;

Note slide bar above upper hinge. The door frame sticks out and is drilled with intake holes above and below door.

You REALLY need a Honey Bear Convertible for mobile and manufactured housing that has an outside air intake for smaller tight areas. They have an 18 inch square firebox. Pedestal bolts to floor.