After being enlightened by WeldrDave on the Fisher brand, I have been considering purchasing a Baby Bear that I found on craigslist. I am looking for a small stove to be utilized in my 24x24 garage. I did post a few weeks back about a Century S244 that would fit in the garage perfectly and that I could use my $350 Menards rebate on. This stove has viewing glass and is physically smaller than the Baby Bear but otherwise the vintage unit blows it out of the water. If I go with the Fisher, I could use my rebate on the triple wall pipe and chimney I will need to install through the roof. So now that I'm seriously considering the Fisher and planning to make an 1.5hr drive to pick it up, I have a few more questions. 1. According to the specs I've seen, the Baby Bear weighs approx 250lbs. I'm a strong guy and I have some 4 wheel dollys, a 2 wheel dolly with the ratcheting strap, a low trailer with ramp, and some long smooth wooden ramps that the stove could potentially be slid across or up into the trailer/truck. Would I be able to move this unit myself? Having trouble finding help to make the drive up there to move it. 2. It appears the chimney comes out the back of the stove. I have seen many pictures of various Fishers with the chimney exiting off the top of the stove - which would be more suitable for my installation due to limited space. Can this be changed?? Modifications that would compromise the stove and/or value? The stove appears to be in very nice shape and includes stove pipe, one of which is copper. Also includes a 36x48 mat.....???? Not sure what that is. They are asking $450 but through e-mail correspondence they have stated that the price is negotiable. Thinking maybe 300 - 350max Thanks for your time. Steve
You should have no problem moving the stove with a dolly might want to bring some boards to make up the space under the legs to keep it up. You can change the exhaust if your a good welder but it requires cutting a hole in the top and filling the one in the back. 450 seem high to me but cash talks. I’d star at 200 if it were me
Offering $250. Still haven' seen the stove in person because it is an hour and fifteen minutes away. We'll see what they say. I will have to take the stove to a local fab shop to have the flue pipe location changes from the back to the top. I' assuming they can just weld a plate over the old hole? Hopefully this doesn't kill the value or performance of the unit.
I bought my Baby Bear this past summer for $225...in great shape and not much use...it's UL listed and has the arched door. It is quickly becoming my primary heat source and is one of my greatest joys. With good hardwood, it will give me almost 7 hours and have a nice bed of coals for an easy restart. I am burning black cherry and walnut with a little poplar here and there.
I have got the seller down to $300 which still isnt a "deal" but I'm hoping to go have a look soon. I will be placing the unit in a 24x24 completely uninsulated garage. Someday, It will be fully insulated but for now other projects take priority. Once insulated, it will likely be overkill but windows can always be opened!! The shape of the stove is not ideal for my layout but I can make it work. Looks like I will need about $700 into class A pipe, attic box, and chimney equipment to fire the beast but that's all in good time.
Could always stick single wall out an open window. Kidding. I have a smilar garage I’d like to heat. I’m thinking a wood stove would be good except there are solar panels on the roof I’m not sure how far away from them the pipe needs to be? I’ll have to look into this. Likely the stove would be in a position that would make one bay unusable.
I intend to be able to park 2 car in the garage when the stove is NOT running - if it was my truck would be too close for acceptable clearance. I would like to have a stove with the loading door facing out from the wall - which would place the stove perpendicular from the wall - but with the Baby Bear's rectangular shape, I would loose an entire bay... Instead, I will need to place it parallel to the wall but it should still be easy enough to tend.
Nice kubota!!! Been trying like heck to keep myself away from the dealer and buying a shiny new one myself! Yeah, my garage tends to be full of important things (junk) more often than I care to admit but I like to atleast plan on parking two vehicles in it. Heck, I'll have an old Ford tractor hogging up half of it here in a week or so. Making the trek up north into the snow storm to look at and hopefully be the proud new owner of the Baby Bear! Once I get it installed, I'll have not one, not 2, but three different firewood burning locations in my house! I have a Buck 74 non-cat cranking away 24/7 in my living room, a good 'ol legitimate working fire place in the basement bar room, and now an old smoke dragon for garage fun! ....personally I love seeing the smoke from a chimney. I live out in the country with no neighbors close by to upset.
Got them down to $150 after some further haggling! Sold! Picked the little guy up tonight. Super excited! It's smaller than I thought which is perfect for what I was looking for. Needs a bit of TLC but looks to be in good condition from what I can see. Door is nice and tight, no rope, no baffle, handle is a bit loose inside the pivot point, and it seems to rock on the floor a bit. Although I know I would loose a vital cook top and some of the heat, as I've read in other threads, I will likely need to modify to have the chimney exit the top rather than the back. I have a very reputable weld shop nearby my house that would do it for next to nothing. Question, If I was to have them cut off the old flue port, weld a plate over it, cut a hole in the top and weld on a new outlet, would I be significantly hurting anything? I have a welder and could probably do it myself, but I don't have any good means if cutting a new hole. Plus my welding skills are novice at best. Even came with an old Condor stovepipe thermometer.
Sweet. I don’t think that it will hurt anything but I not an expert. If it were me I’d have them weld a baffle in when they cut the hole in the top. Should work great for your application. I had a baby bear for a hot minute once, I found it to be too small for what I wanted to use it for and traded it.
I was figuring on having them atleast cut me the appropriate sized piece of plate steel so I could experiment with Coaly's baffle plate that sits on firebrick inside. I am sure it is the way to go but I'd like to experiment a bit. That's the fun part right? The baby may be a bit undersized being that my 524 sq. ft. garage is completely uninsulated but someday when it is, it will be perfect. The little baby bear will grow into it, if you will. The garage does hold some heat though as is, this morning it is 8 degrees out and the garage was around 23.
I think it will work great for you. I was telling the wife I was gonna start looking for a stove for the garage. She rolled her eyes and said “you will be out there all the time then”. Well ya. I did find a duravent through the wall kit new on CL for 200$ I may have to take a ride this weekend.
Ok, you did it! Nice! Great price!!! First, don't worry about it being pretty because in a couple years it will start to rust and pit in the garage, "but" you now have a stove for the next 50+ years more out there! Second, unless your very limited on space "I would not" cut the rear flue out. Put a "T" on the back and have a bottom clean out for when you punch the pipe in the spring/summer. You will Thank me for doing that! Next, Get new fire brick!!! Spend $25.00 and it'll be a great investment for the stove and your heating area. Don't worry about the "Fisher wobble" They all do that over time with expansion and contraction, not to mention is the floor perfect? You asked about cutting the top and back out and replating, won't hurt a thing as long as you do it right and get 100% penetration. If it's not welded well, it will most likley crack. Seen it a few times! I'll put some pics up and you decide what you want to do, as far as a baffle, the "Top" flue stoves need a baffle for sure, you can get away without one in the rear flue stoves but it is recommend. I have a "T" at the top of Grandma where it goes into the wall, "best thing I ever did" and ease of cleaning also. Some folks put a 90º on the back but a "T" is better. I'm here if you need more help, I'm on less often now due to some family issues but I will check once or twice a day to see what you come up with. I'll check back tonight about 7pm. Dave
Here's some pic's of a back baffle I put in one of my Mama Bear stoves. My Grandma is a top Flue and I installed a good size Baffle in her. I eventually had to cut off the angle iron piece I welded on the baffle, It was a bit "too much" restriction. You were worried about cook space, the baby is smaller but even if you close off the top you'll still be able to get a good size pot or pan on it! Also, You Fisher was "not meant" to have a door gasket, everyone who buys a used Fisher thinks that it needs one, Nope, It's designed that way. Next, Lift your door off, "don't drop it"... And spray the hinge pins and hole openings with "PAM", yes Pam... It's natural oil, lubricates, won't burn off easy and smell the house up and it'll stop that annoying squeek when you open the door! I understand why you want to go out the top, but if you can move it more off the wall I would keep the rear opening.
Thanks for the info!! I really do hate doing it, but I don't have any other option than having a top exit. I spent an hour or two last night moving the stove around the garage trying go find a spot that it would work with the rear exit and it just isn't going to work that way. I have a perfect spot for it but the top exit is a must. Oh well.... I will be sure to stop by tractor supply and grab some firebrick. They definitely look line they could use replaced. Since I need the top exit, I will be sure to get the plate for the baffle and set it in bricks like Coaly shows. Any idea what ID the pipe that get welded in should be? On my Buck stove, the stove pipe slips into the stove so I assume it would be 6" ID? I still need my chimney setup before I can really get heating with the little guy. I am familiar with the duravent product but woodlanddirect wants somewhere in the ballpark if $700 for what I need. At Menards (where I have a $350 rebate voucher from a large purchase) they have the Supervent Class A doubke wall product. I can get my entire setup for around $300 ( meaning free!). Any reason to steer clear of the Supervent??? My chimney will be somewhere in the ballpark of 11ft straight up and out. 6 ft of stovepipe, and 5 ft of doublewall/triplewall. Should this be adequate for draft on the little bigger? Thanks for the heads up on the door! It lifted right up and off. I would sure love to see the trees painted! Any tips on the handle or the draft control knob? They work fine but are a but loose from wear. Probably fine but maybe theres a tip or trick I don't know to improve them.
That SuperVent pipe works good...I and many others here have it. FYI, Menards will be doing an 11% off sale soon, they always have them in January if not before. Also, I have some nice used class A chimney I could make ya a deal on too...can't remember the brand right now...I can look if you are interested
brenndatomu is right on point!!! Super vent is fine stuff! And he is right on about the 11%! Here's a thought, before you go to the expense of cutting and welding, maybe go to CL and see if you can "swap" a rear flue for a top. OR, maybe ask for a bigger size like a mama bear to even up swap. Who know's? You may get a biter... Anyway, heres my thought: A good weld shop/welder can simply cut out your rear pipe with a plasma cutter in seconds and clean up the cut areas. They can next cut the top and use the piece they took from the top and weld it in the rear hole. Then, put the cut flue in the place where they cut the upper hole. Now, sounds easy huh.... Have I done it, yes on a few occasions. "BUT" I don't live near you and some places will say, OH, you need a new piece of plate,... Bla, bla, bla... and so be it.. It shouldn't cost you any more than $100.00 to get it done. Again, I understand you feelings on the top flue exit, sometimes it's just what you need! I was just trying to make suggestions. Best of luck and do your home work! I'm here and I know Coaly is around. We will never try to steer you wrong, but when it's all said and done, you will "LOVE" the Fisher and never want anything else! We're here for you... just ask.
Ok, not to worry to much unless they are "overly sloppy" If you want a new spring handle, Woodmans stove parts have those all day long. A thing to check is when your door is shut and locked into place "per say", is there any play in the arm holding the door shut. A simple way to check is shut the door as if it were lit, them take a butter knife or a small screw driver and see if the door flexes freely by a "LIGHTLY" pry outward. If it barley moves than nothing to worry about! The mechanics of the door isn't going to change much from the years used. Just lubricate once a year and your good! The biggest thing with the Fishers are the people who neglect them. A little lube and some love and they will go for many more years. I 'll give you the paint color when you want/ready to paint the trees.
