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10/18/07, 01:31 PM
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Living the dream.
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Morganton, NC
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Fisher Baby Bear
I am thinking about buying a Fisher Baby Bear, there are 2 to choose from for $150. To those who have used them before, how long of a burn time can you get? I know they are not EPA certified but I am thinking that if I burn it properly (ie open the draft for a while after loading) I will not smoke up the whole neighborhood. Any advice would be appreciated.
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10/18/07, 01:56 PM
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Join Date: May 2003
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when I was first reading the title I thought you were talking about a stuffed animal from the fisher toy company. I started thinking "who would pay 150 bucks for a toy?" Then I was able to figure out it's a stove of some sort 
would you happen to have a web site? I'd like to see it.
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10/18/07, 02:07 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Western KY
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I don't have a Baby Bear but I do have a Mama Bear. They are great stoves. Your burn time will depend, of course, on the amount, type, and quality of wood you can get in the box as well as on how much you dampen it down etc. Perhaps someone will have actually used a Baby Bear and can give you more insight.
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10/18/07, 06:31 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2005
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We had a Grandpa Bear about 30 years ago and you're right - they are not certified and the emissions are very high which could cause you problems in some areas. However, they were a great stove and heated the house like nothing else I have ever used. Well made, heavy plate. Not certified = not insurable.
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10/19/07, 07:41 AM
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Well, the one I looked at last night wan't in bad shape but seemed to be missing a plate inside the stove near the back, all there was left was a ragged edge. Anyone know what is supposed to be there?
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10/19/07, 07:49 AM
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Location: Between Crosslake and Emily Minnesota
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Matthew Lindsay
Well, the one I looked at last night wan't in bad shape but seemed to be missing a plate inside the stove near the back, all there was left was a ragged edge. Anyone know what is supposed to be there?
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That plate was a baffle. The purpose of the baffle was to redirect the smoke and volatile gases back into the fire to make the stove more efficient.
I used to own a Fisher Grandpa Bear.
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10/19/07, 05:11 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NC
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Insert
I own a Fisher fireplace insert. It will heat 1500 square foot house with out any problem. It has a circulation fan on it that circulates the air thru the chambers around the fire box. I once had a Papa bear but this is better..
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10/22/07, 08:15 AM
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Okay, the second one I was going to look at sold, so I went ahead and bought the one missing the baffle, I figure I can always fabricate (aka jerry rig!) one if I think it will make much of a difference. I negotiated the price down to $125 and I figure I can sell it for that if I decide it doesn't work any better than my vogelzang. The fellow is dropping it off sometime soon, I will let you know how it works out.
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10/22/07, 08:19 AM
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Chances are the original owner cut the baffle out. After 1000's of hours of heat, the steel baffle tends to stretch and sag. The sagging plate probably got in the way such that the owner could not fully fill the firebox for a long burn; consequently, he cut it out.
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10/22/07, 03:52 PM
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Cabin Fever
Chances are the original owner cut the baffle out. After 1000's of hours of heat, the steel baffle tends to stretch and sag. The sagging plate probably got in the way such that the owner could not fully fill the firebox for a long burn; consequently, he cut it out.
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Yeah, looks like someone took an oxy acetelyne torch to it! It think the baffle was made out of much thinner steel than the rest of the stove, hence the failure. I can't wait to try though after three years with the POS I have! Well I shouldn't say that, it does exactly what it is supposed to.
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10/22/07, 04:39 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Western North Carolina
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We have a Fisher Papa Bear in our basement, have used it for 6 years now, do not know how long the former owners used it, we love it, it heats well, I don't know how to answer your original question as to how long it will burn, ours will stay warm all night (put last wood in about 10 pm, damper down, still warm about 6 am), we have cement floor and stone wall around it so it heats all that up nicely. Good luck
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10/23/07, 02:51 PM
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Well, got my Fisher a couple of hours ago, fellow I bought it from was working in the area and was nice enough to drop it off. I went ahead and fired it up to burn the oil the fellow put on it off. Also got started with the wire brush, got a lot more to go! It may be my imagination but even the kindling I used to start it seemed to last longer!
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10/23/07, 02:54 PM
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Cabin Fever
What kind of shape is the door gasket in?
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(Cabin, I posted in the wrong thread so I moved my post and replied here)
Non-existant, I will pick one up soon, any tips for glueing it in? Amazingly enough the door fits very well, no gaps at all, it would probably be okay without one.
Last edited by Silvercreek Farmer; 10/23/07 at 02:56 PM.
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10/23/07, 03:35 PM
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You'll get better air control with the door gasket. Wherever you buy the gasket, they'll also sell door gasket cement.
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10/30/07, 04:27 PM
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Hey Matt, since you're so excited about your "new" Baby Bear Fisher woodstove, I thought I'd show a photo of my old "Grandpa Bear" Fisher. This photo was taken in 1981. That cutie-pie in the photo is now married and is gainfully employed as an RN.
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10/30/07, 07:43 PM
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Wow,that brings back a lot of memories.I remember my old Earth Stove,those were the days.I have an up dated version of the Earth Stove now.Can you believe they sold out to Lennox.Not near as good as they were.
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10/31/07, 08:27 AM
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Living the dream.
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Location: Morganton, NC
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Awww, she looks just like you cabin! Got the living/dining room up to 80 last night, (our place is 1370 sq ft). And it was still 76 this morning (low 40's outside). I'm keeping the bedroom door closed to keep it cool for sleeping. All evening night on one arm load of wood, with the vogelzang, I would burn 2-3 times that much! I can't wait until it gets a little cooler, so I run it at optimum, instead of at 3/4 throttle.
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