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liann

New Member
Sep 18, 2022
2
Nh
I bought a mama bear stove last fall. I cleaned it up this past weekend to use this year. I did a burn off of the black paste so as not to smoke up the house. I took my old stove pipe from my old stove ( it was dirty with some soot.) which is about 24 inch high the stove heated up nicely. The front vent knob were open all the way. It has a good draft just doing it's thing. But when we opened the door just to check on the flame an fire smoke came out the door.
Is it just because it wasn't hooker up to a chimney an getting a real draft?
How or what should I do when installed in the house so as to not get smoke?

Plus I have a chimney on the outside of the house an the stove would be in my basement. I have a smaller stove in the basement already that I was going to replace with this mama bear stove. Any help would be great.
 
That is normal without a chimney.

Black paste??? Oh no.
 
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That is normal without a chimney.

Black paste??? Oh no.
I am new to this hearth. Com thread stuff. I not sure we're to look for replies.
I watch a video on someone restoring a stove an use the pilgrims black paste it looked very nice. Sorry if it wasn't right.
So stove will smoke if not hooked up to a real chimney? That is what I thought.
I also learn that it doesn't have the baffle plate .
 
I am new to this hearth. Com thread stuff. I not sure we're to look for replies.
I watch a video on someone restoring a stove an use the pilgrims black paste it looked very nice. Sorry if it wasn't right.
So stove will smoke if not hooked up to a real chimney? That is what I thought.
I also learn that it doesn't have the baffle plate .
Welcome to Hearth, you'll figure it out soon enough. This is your thread where replies will show up. The poster above is new as well and jumped in with a question about another model that should have their own thread. It happens, derails threads, gets off subject. (I moved their question and replies to their own thread) If more jump in with other questions, I move their discussion to their own thread to prevent becoming confusing.

Mama Bear is the middle size stove from the single door Bear Series. None of them had baffles. Only the later double door stoves after 1980 made to UL specifications had baffles.

Stove Black, or Stove Polish was used on antique rough cast iron only. Smooth machined cast iron cooktops were oiled. Newer cast iron stoves are painted. Steel plate stoves are painted.

When polish is applied to a smooth surface it smears around like shoe polish on glass. It will not make an even coat. Swirl marks are common. The problem with it was the polish is not impermeable to water vapor and water. Vapor in the air goes through it, allowing the base metal to rust. It was then recoated over the rust requiring frequent polishing a cold stove. It was used until high temperature paints were formulated which are impervious to water vapor and seal the surface, far superior to polish.

Once polish is applied it is extremely difficult to remove or paint over. After heating and final cure you can wipe with mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, soapy water, even using a torch for removing paint, when heated again and wiped, it comes off black on a rag. Sand or media blasting is the only way to remove it completely.

The chimney is what makes a stove work. It is the engine that makes it go. Hot rising gasses in the chimney flue creates a low pressure area in flue, pipe, and stove. This allows atmospheric air pressure to PUSH into the stove feeding the fire oxygen. Opening the door will be a rush of indoor air rushing up the chimney to fill the void or vacuum. This prevents smoke from entering. Any leaks will allow air in, not leak out. The differential temperature between inside and outside of flue is what determines how strong this vacuum is, measured as draft. This is why it is important to have an insulated flue that stays hot inside easily. Every stove has a required draft measured at the stove outlet. You will learn how atmospheric conditions, temperature, and many other factors affect draft and how to change the controls for a more efficient and cleaner burning fire. Adding a baffle is not difficult and covered in the baffle thread in the sticky section at the top of the Fisher Home Page. It makes the stove more controllable, evens out temperature spikes up the chimney and generally more controllable.

Get a magnetic pipe thermometer if you don't have one, and a moisture meter to check wood to make your burning experience much better.
 
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