Vent on a papa bear

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Prevent the bolt from turning with socket or wrench on the outside and tighten nut on inside of door. (if nut is not welded to threads)

Spray penetrant of choice (PB Blaster, Aerokroil ect....) behind draft cap on threads. (called intake air damper - vent usually means exhaust) Open door and you can see the back of draft cap through intake opening. Also spray on outside under bolt head to let it soak from both sides.
During winter, you can remove door and take it outside to chill door and steel bolt. Keep bolt cold and try a hair dryer or heat gun to heat cap only to expand threads in cap. I don't know if this cap has a steel insert or if it is a threaded aluminum cap. (all caps are aluminum, some have a steel nut insert to prevent thread wear) No torch ! You can also try with door at room temperature; pour boiling water over draft cap only. This normally expands cap and threads and turns using a rag to prevent burning your hand. If this fails remove draft cap and bolt from door. (Heat and penetrant usually works)
Another really good cheaply made penetrating oil is ATF and Acetone mixed.

To remove; If the inside nut on inside of door is not welded to prevent movement, you can loosen the inner nut by holding the outer bolt head and cap from turning with wrenches. After inner nut is removed, rotate bolt and cap to unscrew from door. Remove outer nut behind cap (this may be a half nut) and continue to soak both sides of draft cap. If it refuses to loosen after soaking 24 hours, place nut on end of bolt to protect end of threads and support cap on wood block. Tap bolt with hammer and this normally loosens any threaded bolt as you would a lug bolt on a vehicle.
When installing draft cap, position bolt through door so bolt head protrudes a little out of the cap with draft cap closed. This allows use of wrench on bolt head to remove at later date.
KEEP THREADS LUBRICATED WITH HIGH TEMP GREASE OR SILVER ANTI-SEIZE as well as door hinge pins. You can lube through hole in door behind cap as necessary with a brush in cap type anti-seize. It is also for higher temperature than grease.This prevents wear of bolt and cap threads as well as preventing stuck caps.
 
Prevent the bolt from turning with socket or wrench on the outside and tighten nut on inside of door. (if nut is not welded to threads)

Spray penetrant of choice (PB Blaster, Aerokroil ect....) behind draft cap on threads. (called intake air damper - vent usually means exhaust) Open door and you can see the back of draft cap through intake opening. Also spray on outside under bolt head to let it soak from both sides.
During winter, you can remove door and take it outside to chill door and steel bolt. Keep bolt cold and try a hair dryer or heat gun to heat cap only to expand threads in cap. I don't know if this cap has a steel insert or if it is a threaded aluminum cap. (all caps are aluminum, some have a steel nut insert to prevent thread wear) No torch ! You can also try with door at room temperature; pour boiling water over draft cap only. This normally expands cap and threads and turns using a rag to prevent burning your hand. If this fails remove draft cap and bolt from door. (Heat and penetrant usually works)
Another really good cheaply made penetrating oil is ATF and Acetone mixed.

To remove; If the inside nut on inside of door is not welded to prevent movement, you can loosen the inner nut by holding the outer bolt head and cap from turning with wrenches. After inner nut is removed, rotate bolt and cap to unscrew from door. Remove outer nut behind cap (this may be a half nut) and continue to soak both sides of draft cap. If it refuses to loosen after soaking 24 hours, place nut on end of bolt to protect end of threads and support cap on wood block. Tap bolt with hammer and this normally loosens any threaded bolt as you would a lug bolt on a vehicle.
When installing draft cap, position bolt through door so bolt head protrudes a little out of the cap with draft cap closed. This allows use of wrench on bolt head to remove at later date.
KEEP THREADS LUBRICATED WITH HIGH TEMP GREASE OR SILVER ANTI-SEIZE as well as door hinge pins. You can lube through hole in door behind cap as necessary with a brush in cap type anti-seize. It is also for higher temperature than grease.This prevents wear of bolt and cap threads as well as preventing stuck caps.
Thank you so much. It almost acts like it isn't supposed to be used. Do all papa bears have 2 but only one is actually used?
 
Nope, both are suppose to turn. Occasionally they freeze up after setting for years. I use a small amount of Never Seize on the hinge pins and draft control threads to prevent siezing. The last Papa bear I had had one knob froze up. Soaking with PB Blaster for a week got it loose again.
 
It will also burn down to ash in the front more evenly. Then you remove the ash from front in the morning, and rake coals along with charcoal in the back with a little ash ahead. Building your next fire on the glowing coals should light right up. This way you never have to leave it cool to remove ash.
Always keep about an inch of ash on the bottom.
Mama and Papa use the same double intake door. Only Goldilocks has two draft caps where only the left turns to adjust air that uses the bolt to turn in the door and makes contact with a flap across front. That stove gets air through pedestal from under mobile home. It is the only model with a fake knob on the right door.
 
It will also burn down to ash in the front more evenly. Then you remove the ash from front in the morning, and rake coals along with charcoal in the back with a little ash ahead. Building your next fire on the glowing coals should light right up. This way you never have to leave it cool to remove ash.
Always keep about an inch of ash on the bottom.
Mama and Papa use the same double intake door. Only Goldilocks has two draft caps where only the left turns to adjust air that uses the bolt to turn in the door and makes contact with a flap across front. That stove gets air through pedestal from under mobile home. It is the only model with a fake knob on the right door.
I got the vent apart but broke off the bolt. Is there a break down on how it all goes back together with a new bolt?
 
Is the bolt out of the draft cap or is froze there too?
If it's out you need a new bolt the same size and two new nuts.
Basically the bolt threads through the cap then the bolt/cap assembly is mounted to the door with one nut inside the door and one nut outside (between the cap and door). It's the same as the other one, open that vent all the way and you will see the one nut which is hidden by the cap when closed.
Refere to Coaly's second post, second paragraph on how to adjust.
 
Post #5 in the "Everything Fisher" thread has link to break down shown on Patent.
 
When I took it apart there was a very thin nut and a normal sized nut on the bolt that is on the outside. Was this just part of the other nut?

It's called a "half nut". Most fabricators used them, but you will find some with full size nuts inside and outside of the door.
A full size nut will work. The amount of threads in a fastener is called the engagement. So the holding power is due to how many threads of engagement you have on a fastener. The torque is designed for the number of threads of engagement as well which is why you're used to seeing a thicker nut comparative to the diameter. Once the holding power is established for a fastener, to lock the nut from turning on a bolt it only requires another nut against the first to prevent it from turning, as a locking fastener. Hence the use of a half nut. You can use them when there is not much room, to reduce weight, or if you don't have enough threads sticking through for complete engagement of a full size nut. Torque and holding power is of course reduced. They are not provide structural support. The male thread should always reach through a full size nut making contact on each thread in the nut to prevent loosening and to give full strength.
 
That's pretty thin. Someone pinching pennies building lots of stoves? Building over a thousand stoves a month adds up. They had to make 600 minimum monthly to fulfill their license contract. Make sure the recess under the cap is enough for a full size washer on the bolt to allow the draft cap to close for full contact with the door. I'm assuming it has Fisher's own EZ-Spin draft caps that have room for a full size nut. There was a time period when Baxter first started marketing his draft cap that some felt they were too expensive at $4.50 A SET ! An original now sells for $35 to $50 on eBay, EACH !
 
There is a nut shaped recess in the knob where I'm assuming the inside nut seats in. It looks simple but so well engineered. I really appreciate your info.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.