Not sure what model fisher stove this is...please help a newbie
- Thread starter Grayling Guy
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- grandma bear mama bear
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Grandma, looks to be a '78 / '79 just before the redesign for 1980. So not an older model and not a newer model.
This thread will identify any Fisher Stove;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/everything-fisher.48309/
This thread gives specific details on the Fireplace Series which yours is a part of;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/everything-fisher.48309/
The draft caps (air intake dampers) are not the normal cheaper ones. I believe they are solid brass and were to be used on Goldilocks and later Teddy Bear, and Fireplace Series stoves with brass plated cathedral doors. Only Goldilocks existed when this stove was built, so the fabricator may have ran out of the cheaper knobs or the customer preferred them and paid more......You would have to remove one to be sure which is easy to do and the back will be brass. You can also tell by the weight. They are extremely heavy compared to the normal aluminum draft caps that weigh next to nothing. If they are, it makes it a winner with the feet!
This thread will identify any Fisher Stove;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/everything-fisher.48309/
This thread gives specific details on the Fireplace Series which yours is a part of;
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/everything-fisher.48309/
The draft caps (air intake dampers) are not the normal cheaper ones. I believe they are solid brass and were to be used on Goldilocks and later Teddy Bear, and Fireplace Series stoves with brass plated cathedral doors. Only Goldilocks existed when this stove was built, so the fabricator may have ran out of the cheaper knobs or the customer preferred them and paid more......You would have to remove one to be sure which is easy to do and the back will be brass. You can also tell by the weight. They are extremely heavy compared to the normal aluminum draft caps that weigh next to nothing. If they are, it makes it a winner with the feet!
Thanks for the help..... what would you consider a good price... it has a screen insert ...they are asking 500.00 what are your thoughts.
No way would i pay that. It is twice what they go for here. But markets vary allot if may be a fine price by you.
a buddy was telling me it is very inefficient....would burn through wood....leaky door seals..... was pushing me towards a new stove...I tend to like older stuff...can you give me your 2 cents...thanks for you input..tr
I have a Mama Bear that I used for years as my primary heat and I think it worked just fine. I don't have a newer stove to do a side by side comparison. Does you buddy or is it just his opinion?
Your stove has no gasket (or shouldn't) so leaking seals aren't a problem. The stove doesn't have to be 100% airtight to operate properly.
You can find here instructions for installing a homemade baffle that adds to its efficiency.
Your stove has no gasket (or shouldn't) so leaking seals aren't a problem. The stove doesn't have to be 100% airtight to operate properly.
You can find here instructions for installing a homemade baffle that adds to its efficiency.
I would not call it "very inefficient", but you can get more heat out of each piece of wood burning smoke in the newer stoves.
With the proper baffle, they are much better than original. (later Fisher stoves of this model had a 'Smoke Shelf Baffle" factory installed) It is not difficult to make your own and is detailed in the baffle thread here on Hearth.
I believe they use more wood AND radiate more heat within the same time frame. It is two different types of burning for different applications. If you are cooking or using for emergency heat and needing lots in a short time, or only have poor wood, (which should not be used in either) this will do what a newer stove won't. Think of it as comparing a 454 in a truck to a 4 cylinder car. You get better mileage with the small engine, but it won't haul a ton at a time up a mountain.
Leaky door seals? No. They are considered "air tight" as built. If they leak there is something wrong. You can always add thin flat door gasket material which they didn't require when new if the door hinges are that worn out. When they become loose, people tend to lean on the right door handle trying to make it tighter which puts the handle out of adjustment (or they were just heavy handed) and this one is tight and adjusted correctly by the angle of handle when closed.
A lot has to do with the chimney connected to any appliance. Many of these stoves were connected to larger chimneys designed for fireplaces that lost tons of heat up the large flue. Connecting a stove that radiates heat with far less lost up the chimney doesn't have enough heat to loose up the stack and heat the area efficiently. So one big part of the equation is an efficient chimney. A newer stove simply won't work with a large chimney that requires much more heat. (you must stay above 250* f. to the top. The larger the chimney, the more heat required to do so) So most all new stoves require a smaller flue and are not always comparing the same "engine" that makes the stove go. An inefficient chimney on either stove will make the stove an inefficient one.
The Bear Series uses a 6 inch outlet and chimney which is more efficient than the Fireplace Series. (Mama model using 6 inch compares the same heat output as this Grandma using 8 inch) That is the trade off for fire viewing. They are not considered a radiant heater in Fireplace Mode.
If you want big heat in a large area in a shorter amount of time, you will be happy with this type of stove. If you want to be a wood miser over an extended period of time, and load the smaller stove more often, you will be happy with a newer stove.
The last part of the equation is your wood source and what you plan on burning. The older types are more forgiving with less than desirable wood.
As far as price, I always tell everyone they are worth what buyer and seller agree upon. That changes by area as well as season.
As far as parts prices, being collectable, those feet average 300, screen depending on style you have not shown in pics 100-150, (it should be a chrome frame "Contemporary Screen" with locking handles) solid brass draft caps (if they are what I believe they are) 100 - 150 / set. Then you have the stove which in this case is not in bad condition due to rust or needing welding. Firebrick are cheap and expected to need replacing as necessary in any used stove. So put your local price on the bare stove. Keep in mind it is not an exceptionally older collectable model, (they all are now to an extent) but it is of the first generation (Grandma I ). It also is not the UL tested model after 1980 ( III )which draws a premium. (and required by law in most areas) They were available with brass or nickel plated doors or glass driving the price considerably.
With the proper baffle, they are much better than original. (later Fisher stoves of this model had a 'Smoke Shelf Baffle" factory installed) It is not difficult to make your own and is detailed in the baffle thread here on Hearth.
I believe they use more wood AND radiate more heat within the same time frame. It is two different types of burning for different applications. If you are cooking or using for emergency heat and needing lots in a short time, or only have poor wood, (which should not be used in either) this will do what a newer stove won't. Think of it as comparing a 454 in a truck to a 4 cylinder car. You get better mileage with the small engine, but it won't haul a ton at a time up a mountain.
Leaky door seals? No. They are considered "air tight" as built. If they leak there is something wrong. You can always add thin flat door gasket material which they didn't require when new if the door hinges are that worn out. When they become loose, people tend to lean on the right door handle trying to make it tighter which puts the handle out of adjustment (or they were just heavy handed) and this one is tight and adjusted correctly by the angle of handle when closed.
A lot has to do with the chimney connected to any appliance. Many of these stoves were connected to larger chimneys designed for fireplaces that lost tons of heat up the large flue. Connecting a stove that radiates heat with far less lost up the chimney doesn't have enough heat to loose up the stack and heat the area efficiently. So one big part of the equation is an efficient chimney. A newer stove simply won't work with a large chimney that requires much more heat. (you must stay above 250* f. to the top. The larger the chimney, the more heat required to do so) So most all new stoves require a smaller flue and are not always comparing the same "engine" that makes the stove go. An inefficient chimney on either stove will make the stove an inefficient one.
The Bear Series uses a 6 inch outlet and chimney which is more efficient than the Fireplace Series. (Mama model using 6 inch compares the same heat output as this Grandma using 8 inch) That is the trade off for fire viewing. They are not considered a radiant heater in Fireplace Mode.
If you want big heat in a large area in a shorter amount of time, you will be happy with this type of stove. If you want to be a wood miser over an extended period of time, and load the smaller stove more often, you will be happy with a newer stove.
The last part of the equation is your wood source and what you plan on burning. The older types are more forgiving with less than desirable wood.
As far as price, I always tell everyone they are worth what buyer and seller agree upon. That changes by area as well as season.
As far as parts prices, being collectable, those feet average 300, screen depending on style you have not shown in pics 100-150, (it should be a chrome frame "Contemporary Screen" with locking handles) solid brass draft caps (if they are what I believe they are) 100 - 150 / set. Then you have the stove which in this case is not in bad condition due to rust or needing welding. Firebrick are cheap and expected to need replacing as necessary in any used stove. So put your local price on the bare stove. Keep in mind it is not an exceptionally older collectable model, (they all are now to an extent) but it is of the first generation (Grandma I ). It also is not the UL tested model after 1980 ( III )which draws a premium. (and required by law in most areas) They were available with brass or nickel plated doors or glass driving the price considerably.
He is right. If you want an honest answer to that question go to the regular hearth room. This chat room is full of fisher fanatics so you will get answers supporting the fisher.
Ouch!
We don't know his current chimney either. If he has a two story 8 X 8 masonry chimney and wants to connect a new 6 inch efficient stove, what's the cost of efficiency when including the stove and insulated liner?
Fisher Fanatic, I guess I've been called worse.
But that's on a collector level, not currently in use. Now what's in your shop again?? 
You know you're beating a dead horse here, right?
I have nothing against fishers at all like you said i have one in my shop. And in that case i need something that can crank out allot of heat in a hurry i dont burn it much of for long so i am not worried much about efficency. And if that 8x8 clay is built to code in good condition and tall enough most modern stoves will work fine running through them. Insulated liners are great but not nessecarily needed.Ouch!
We don't know his current chimney either. If he has a two story 8 X 8 masonry chimney and wants to connect a new 6 inch efficient stove, what's the cost of efficiency when including the stove and insulated liner?
Fisher Fanatic, I guess I've been called worse.
You know you're beating a dead horse here, right?
And i really didnt mean the fanatic comment as anything derogatory. Just pointing out that they wont get a very objective answer to that question in a fisher forum.
And to be clear most of those qualifications need to be met to use a fisher in that chimney as well. And fishers benifit just as much from an insulated liner.
Nope most dont need it. Will they run better on a properly sized and insulated liner? Absolutly. And are there some that are very draft sensitive and need the right size flue? Again yes. But most will still easily outperform an old fisher in just about every way even when run through an 8x8 clay flue as long as it is tall enough.Two things in this world should have an F on the front of them. Stoves and trucks.
Some may disagree.
I thought all those newfangled smoke burners needed the same size flue as the stove outlet to the top.
Thanks for the details. You get to see many stoves that work well in different installations and the only secondary burners I deal with is when someone says they've tried everything else and their stove won't work right. It's always a chimney too short with 8 X 8, operator error, wood.... So a 6 inch insulated liner or a good scolding on running it like an old stove takes care of them. I notice some manuals "recommend" 6 inch flue but stop short of requiring it, others require the same size as stove outlet all the way.
I’m having a problem with smoke coming back into the room through my stack I went from the 8 inch and put an adapter on to a 6 inch pipe at first it’s seem to be working OK and then all of a sudden where the junction is at the 6 inch pipe it started leaking the guy who installed it told me I needed to change out my whole pipe to an 8 inch pipe do you believe that to be correct he seems to know what he’s doing it’s the only thing we can figure out ....He’s coming back in the morning I was just wondering what your thoughts are thanks in advance for any of your help I really appreciate it..tr
I’m not sure if you saw my post about my installation problems the old stove I had had a 6 inch pipe so I bought an adapter and I win from an 8 inch to the 6 inch and I’m getting leakage at the juncture....Should I redo the whole thing in 8 inch pipe do you think that will help
If you went from 8 inch stove connector to 6 and back to 8, you can't do that.
What size is the chimney flue?
Height?
Insulated metal chimney or masonry?
Pictures of connecting pipe configuration?
The chimney is too cool and not drafting properly. Could be user error, need pics and lots of info.
If you have a fire screen for open door operation you need a flue pipe damper as well.
What size is the chimney flue?
Height?
Insulated metal chimney or masonry?
Pictures of connecting pipe configuration?
The chimney is too cool and not drafting properly. Could be user error, need pics and lots of info.
If you have a fire screen for open door operation you need a flue pipe damper as well.
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