Links To Firebrick Layouts

[Todd67]

I figured I would create a thread with links to firebrick Layouts. Questions about firebricks seems to get asked quite often, and I'm on a quest to add a Papa Bear and Grandpa Bear to my Fisher Stove collection when I find the right stoves at the right price.

This may not cover all series of stoves due to many changes over the years.

Mama Bear firebrick link;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/mama-bear-firebricks.88386/

 

[Todd67]

Baby Bear firebrick layout;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/baby-bear-firebricks.87254/

 

[Todd67]

Papa Bear firebrick layout;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/papa-bear-firebricks.89792/

 

[coaly]

A simple rule of thumb for bricking any Fisher Stove;

IF your brick retainers are welded at the height of installing side bricks from steel stove bottom to retainer, back and sides are installed first.

They are installed back first, sides, then bottom.

IF the vertical bricks allow the bottom layer to fit under them and still fit under the brick clips, the bottom goes in first. This is the way shown on original drawings, but it was found bricks were not held into position and broke during shipping, so most fabricators lowered the brick clips to allow the back and sides to be installed first, then fill in the bottom to hold them tight.

Normally you will find the bottom layer and side brick will not fit under the brick retainer. In this case;

Start sides with a full brick across the back in left rear corner. Continue across back covering rear wall to end. Some models require a cut strip to reach wall at right rear corner. Install side bricks starting at rear with small cut piece at front if required.

Start bottom at left rear, full bricks lengthwise facing front to back, pushing side bricks tight to wall. Continue across using any cut pieces at far right if required. Continue with next row the same way.
Cut the last row as required at front.

It is imperative to have the inside VERY clean with no brick grit or ash between any bricks since they should fit tight when done. I vacuum very well with shop vac before installing. Ash will fill any gaps, and always burn on an inch of ash when cleaning.

Bricks cut very easy by scoring with a masonry blade in a circular saw and snapping at score line.

 

[coaly]

1976 Grandpa;

** Since '76 was the first year for the double door stoves, you should measure the inside of firebox to verify your stove was made to exact dimensions for the following brick sizes called for in drawing** ;

All bricks are 1 1/4" thick, 4 1/2 X 9 before cutting;

Bottom 8 full - starting at left rear corner, place 2 lengthwise across stove leaving space along right side edge. They will also not reach the front leaving a space across front as well.
Fill in right side bottom with four 4 1/2 X 6 5/16
Fill in across front bottom with two 2 9/16 X 9 and one 2 9/16 X 6 5/16

Back; 5 full - one 4 5/16 X 9

Each Side; Starting at rear, four stand up on each side and one 2 9/16 X 9 stood up at front to fill space to front wall.

 

[coaly]

Later stoves with Roman Numerals on tag have firebrick layout in manual found in sticky section.

 

[Todd67]

Thanks for the additional info coaly! I've been searching the forum for a picture of the firebrick layout for the early grandpa and grandma bear stoves. I did read one of your posts that said the brick layouts for the later stoves were shown in the owners manuals, but not for the early stoves.

I haven't replaced the firebrick in any of my Fishers except my mama bear, but that was over 6 years ago and I've been using it to heat my house. I will re-brick my other stoves if or when I decide to use them, but for now my coal bear and baby bear stoves are sitting in my mudroom. My 76 grandma bear is soaking in PB blaster in my garage for the winter because it's too cold to try to work on it this time of year. Paint doesn't work well when it's below freezing

 

[Todd67]

I found these two links for the early grandpa bear stoves. The 2nd link has two pictures or diagrams like the ones for the papa, mama, and baby bears;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/grandpa-bear-firebricks.117985/

Coaly, this looks like what you describe above in post #5.

Here is another thread about firebricks in the grandpa bear. In this thread coaly has the diagram I've been looking for , in post #5 in the link below;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/brick-placement.136318/#post-1829761

 

[Todd67]

Here is a good discussion about grandma bear firebricks, but no diagram;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...-think-is-a-grandma-bear.129835/#post-1748510

 

[Todd67]

I'm giving this thread a bump since I have to replace the firebricks in a pre 1980 Grandpa Bear this week.