Momma Bear question

[Tuxmachine]

I just recently purchased a pretty nice Momma Bear for $100! My question is, on the back of the stove under the exhaust is a seam running across the stove that I can see just a little daylight coming through. Is this normal or do I need to seal it?

 

[vasten]

Hey I just picked one up for the same price congrats...lol

I don't know about other models but mine does not have a seam on the back. As I understand it they should not have any daylight showing as they are air tight, and any light showing equals air infiltration. I assume that it can be welded easy enough.

But I will let the fisher expert chime in on that one.

 

[coaly]

No, the back should be one piece. I've never heard of a fabricator using scrap pieces, BUT there was a time period that Fisher Stoves SE in GA was sold to another owner and made less than desirable stoves. The license went back to Carl Baugman and quality was restored. You are right between the two largest manufactures, GA and Dunn Bros. from VA and West VA to your north. Look on the bottom for marks or writing in weld.
Before jumping to conclusions, there were a lot of copied stoves made and someone could have procured a Fisher door even though the doors were highly guarded. Pictures are needed to identify the maker and to be sure you have an authentic Fisher product. Hinge plates, ash fender (shelf) brick retainers inside, even the cut of legs at bottom can help identify what it is and where it came from.
If this is a rear outlet stove, is the pipe welded on the inside or out side?
Also look on the bottom for numbers and initials in weld on both the stove bottom and ash fender bottom.

Other stove manufacturers like All-Nighter had multiple sheets and welded seams, but not Fisher.
It should be welded together or a flat plate put over the seam.

 

[Tuxmachine]

Thanks for the replies. Ok the vent is on the back and is welded in from the inside I'll look for id on it and also take some pictures when I get home again. Also it has chrome balls on the bottom of the legs. I suppose I could have the seam welded?

 

[Tuxmachine]

No, the back should be one piece. I've never heard of a fabricator using scrap pieces, BUT there was a time period that Fisher Stoves SE in GA was sold to another owner and made less than desirable stoves. The license went back to Carl Baugman and quality was restored. You are right between the two largest manufactures, GA and Dunn Bros. from VA and West VA to your north. Look on the bottom for marks or writing in weld.
Before jumping to conclusions, there were a lot of copied stoves made and someone could have procured a Fisher door even though the doors were highly guarded. Pictures are needed to identify the maker and to be sure you have an authentic Fisher product. Hinge plates, ash fender (shelf) brick retainers inside, even the cut of legs at bottom can help identify what it is and where it came from.
If this is a rear outlet stove, is the pipe welded on the inside or out side?
Also look on the bottom for numbers and initials in weld on both the stove bottom and ash fender bottom.

Other stove manufacturers like All-Nighter had multiple sheets and welded seams, but not Fisher.
It should be welded together or a flat plate put over the seam.

 

[coaly]

Wow, that's odd for Hesston. The vent welded on the inside is an indication it came from Hesston in Kansas. The fabricators across the nation couldn't keep up with demand and at one time were back ordered 60,000 stoves. Hesston Manufacturing in Kansas was contracted to mass produce boxes and the fabricators would hang doors and ash fender. If there is no markings under stove it's probably a Dunn Brothers stove, and if it was from GA, it should have initials in weld under the ash fender.
I would fire it and see if the seam closes right up when heated. Chances are the plates will grow and be tight when in use. The upper plate with vent hole is the hottest running part of the stove. Smoke will not leak out. When the chimney is hot, the stove has lower pressure inside and atmospheric air pressure will push air into it, not out.
The balls are chrome plated not nickel so any metal polish will clean them up without damaging the finish.

 

[Tuxmachine]

Wow, that's odd for Hesston. The vent welded on the inside is an indication it came from Hesston in Kansas. The fabricators across the nation couldn't keep up with demand and at one time were back ordered 60,000 stoves. Hesston Manufacturing in Kansas was contracted to mass produce boxes and the fabricators would hang doors and ash fender. If there is no markings under stove it's probably a Dunn Brothers stove, and if it was from GA, it should have initials in weld under the ash fender.
I would fire it and see if the seam closes right up when heated. Chances are the plates will grow and be tight when in use. The upper plate with vent hole is the hottest running part of the stove. Smoke will not leak out. When the chimney is hot, the stove has lower pressure inside and atmospheric air pressure will push air into it, not out.
The balls are chrome plated not nickel so any metal polish will clean them up without damaging the finish.

Well you sure know your stuff about these stoves, I actually already have fired it right where it sits on the little trailer with a 6' pipe and elbow. It gets pretty hot like that. Inside the firebrick has another row of brick in the top part of the stove. I look forward to replaceing my old Ashley c60d with this one