Baby Bear Help

[A_Bronco]

I recently bought a Fisher Baby Bear, and I have never owned a wood stove, so I’ve got a few questions.

To begin, I picked this stove up for $250, hopefully that was a good deal, seemed like it to me. I have been searching for a Baby Bear for a while, as I am not heating a large space. I plan to refurbish the stove, and I have already read a lot about that here. I am prepared with PB blaster, wire wheels, paint prep, and Stovebright satin black. I also got a high temp welding paint pen in white to paint the Fisher and the trees on the door. I’ve seen some with this and think it looks great. Has anyone ever done it with a paint marker?

This stove has the chrome balls for feet and those need to be redone as well, they’re pretty scuffed, marred, and discolored. What is the best thing to do with those to make them look new or at least good?

In disassembling the door, I broke the bolt for the damper trying to remove it. It had been soaking in PB but was very corroded. The stove had been stored outside before I got it and who knows where else or what kind of environment it has been in. It’s the 4 fin threaded damper with the bolt double nutted to the door. What is the size/thread of this bolt and what kind should I replace it with? Thinking stainless if I can get it, as to match the chrome feet. Unless the feet end up another finish.

After purchasing it, I noticed the clips inside to hold the fire bricks in place aren’t the same on both side. Two clips on the left and one on the right (see attached photo). Is this a major problem and something I need to have fixed?

Is there anything I really need to do with the inside of the stove to clean/refurbish it besides replacing the bricks? Do I refinish the inside of the door like the outside or just clean it up and leave it alone? I know not to put a gasket on it

When painting the stove, is it even possible the paint the entire thing at once or is it ok to flip it over and do a few coats on the bottom/legs and flip it back for the rest once cured?


Lastly, I need some assistance to date/identify the stove. I know some were made in Va, and I’m located in Va so it would be great to have a stove made in the home state. The number inside the stove door is 06137.

The guy I bought it from recommended a baffle in the pipe. Any suggestions on this?

I know this is a lot, and I appreciate any assistance

 

[coaly]

Welcome to the forum;
Looks like a '75 or '76.
Probably from the Dunn Brothers VA and W. VA. unless it was brought from another location by the owner. Licensees had protected areas statewide there. The Dunns were the only one I know of on the East Coast that didn't mark their stoves on the bottom, or stamp the back.

The bolt was a soft 1/2" X I believe 3 inch long, fully threaded. They had no markings on the head for hardness. Did you get it out of the door without damage to the cast web across intake hole in door?

Looks like a couple brick clips missing which is not a big deal. The bottoms hold them upright fairly well. The back bricks are the ones that get hit loading if not careful.

If you paint the bottom first, then set up and paint the rest. Best done outside, then fire with a piece of pipe on it for final cure.

Ball feet were chrome plated steel. Other than chrome polish or any polish for metals such as brass, copper, silver, gold, they would need to be rechromed or replaced. There is a seller on eBay selling them in sets very reasonable. There are two sizes, you need the smaller. Some are much larger for Fireplace Legs or the XL.

Wire wheel the inside of door where it contacts the door seal, as well as the door seal channel iron. The raised portion on door will contact the center of web of channel iron, and the back of door will contact the edges of channel iron making a 3 point contact all the way around. That's the only thing that needs to be clean inside. Grease damper cap bolt and hinge pins with hight temp grease or silver anti-seize.

I have no experience with painting trees, most highlight with a brush.

Depending on your chimney and connector pipe configuration a baffle is recommended.
We need details of chimney and pipe configuration for determining size and angle of baffle plate.
It's not difficult to add at all.

 

[A_Bronco]

Coaly, thank you very much for all the helpful info and prompt response.

No markings on back or bottom, so most likely a Dunn stove.

Gonna do my best to bring the old feet back to life.

I don’t think there was any damage done to the web across the inhole when the bolt broke thankfully. Haven’t had a chance to get in a hardware store to try and find a replacement bolt yet.

As for the chimney and pipe, I’ll be putting the stove on the second floor of the house. Having been built in 1914, the house has 5 chimneys and 6” wall inlets in virtually every room. I’ll be connecting to one of these, but need to offset it from the inlet so I can have proper clearances. See sketch attached. The wall inlet is 34” from floor to top. The house is located on a pretty high hill with fields all around, except for a couple trees by the house, so it is quite drafty.

 

[bholler]

Coaly, thank you very much for all the helpful info and prompt response.

No markings on back or bottom, so most likely a Dunn stove.

Gonna do my best to bring the old feet back to life.

I don’t think there was any damage done to the web across the inhole when the bolt broke thankfully. Haven’t had a chance to get in a hardware store to try and find a replacement bolt yet.

As for the chimney and pipe, I’ll be putting the stove on the second floor of the house. Having been built in 1914, the house has 5 chimneys and 6” wall inlets in virtually every room. I’ll be connecting to one of these, but need to offset it from the inlet so I can have proper clearances. See sketch attached. The wall inlet is 34” from floor to top. The house is located on a pretty high hill with fields all around, except for a couple trees by the house, so it is quite drafty.

Have you confirmed that the chimney is safe to use and that all unused breaches are properly sealed?

 

[A_Bronco]

Yes, it was inspected and had a new rain cap put on before I moved in last spring.

 

[bholler]

Yes, it was inspected and had a new rain cap put on before I moved in last spring.

Did they check for proper clearances on the crocks through the walls? From the outside of the chimney structure? Are the liners and the mortar joints between them in good condition?

 

[A_Bronco]

This is a clip of the report I got, clearing it for use. Nothing is tied in downstairs.

 

[bholler]

This is a clip of the report I got, clearing it for use. Nothing is tied in downstairs.

Ok first off you can't use a woodstove in a bedroom legally. The person doing the inspection should have told you this. It also says nothing about clearances for the wall passthu or the chimney.

 

[A_Bronco]

The room was labeled as a bedroom, but i use it as more or less a second living room upstairs. No one sleeps there. I will have to find out if this was included in the inspection.

 

[bholler]

The room was labeled as a bedroom, but i use it as more or less a second living room upstairs. No one sleeps there. I will have to find out if this was included in the inspection.

Where that pipe passes through the wall is where most problems start. It is very rare to have the nessecary clearance. And it is one of the hottest areas of the venting system.
As long as it isn't being used as a bedroom I see no issue with the location myself. But I am not sure about the compliance of it considering it was meant to be a bedroom. That would be a question for your local code guys and insurance.

 

[A_Bronco]

After many distractions and procrastination due to summer, I’ve finally got the stove fully refurbished and installed and here it is. Hopefully the set up I’ve got with the pipe is acceptable, it was about all I could manage with the elevation difference between the stove and wall flues being about 8”. I’ve got a damper to put in the pipe as well. Based on this set up where would be the best place for it?

 

[bholler]

After many distractions and procrastination due to summer, I’ve finally got the stove fully refurbished and installed and here it is. Hopefully the set up I’ve got with the pipe is acceptable, it was about all I could manage with the elevation difference between the stove and wall flues being about 8”. I’ve got a damper to put in the pipe as well. Based on this set up where would be the best place for it?

What is that mantle made of? Also you need hearth under the pipe the whole way back and the seam under the stove is also a potential safety issue.

 

[bholler]

I really see some stuff that is potentially very scary.

 

[A_Bronco]

I haven’t put a joiner kit on the boards yet as I figured I would be moving it around to get it right. The shelf of the mantle is wood. Around the flue is a piece of gypsum board covering the chimney

 

[bholler]

I haven’t put a joiner kit on the boards yet as I figured I would be moving it around to get it right. The shelf of the mantle is wood. Around the flue is a piece of gypsum board covering the chimney

I don't see how it can possibly be safe where the pipe goes into the wall. And there is nowhere near enough clearance to that wood mantle. Can you describe what the pipe passes through and how it is tied to the chimney?


By gypsum board do you mean drywall?

 

[A_Bronco]

There is a clay liner that passes through the wall and chimney and meets the through hole for the liner in the chimney. At the wall there is a piece of dry wall/gypsum acting as a veneer over the masonry. It is held off the masonry about 1” by what I assume to be wood strips running vertically along the sides of the chimney.

 

[bholler]

There is a clay liner that passes through the wall and chimney and meets the through hole for the liner in the chimney. At the wall there is a piece of dry wall/gypsum acting as a veneer over the masonry. It is held off the masonry about 1” by what I assume to be wood strips running vertically along the sides of the chimney.

Yeah that is not safe at all. The paper on the drywall can burn the wood strips can burn the wood mantle can burn. There are lots and lots of places for probable disaster there. Please do not start a fire in that stove.

 

[A_Bronco]

So it seems like I would would essentially have to rip it all off to be safe? If I do this then will it be safe or will I need to do something with the walls on either side of the chimney as well?

 

[bholler]

So it seems like I would would essentially have to rip it all off to be safe? If I do this then will it be safe or will I need to do something with the walls on either side of the chimney as well?

I can't say for sure without seeing it in person. But what you have is scary.

 

[A_Bronco]

Seems like I will have to consult a local professional to take a look at it. Thanks for the help.

 

[coaly]

Seems like I will have to consult a local professional to take a look at it. Thanks for the help.

They should be telling you the single wall connector pipe requires 18 inches to any combustible material. No studs, Sheetrock, mantle, trim within 18 inches.
Double wall pipe has 6 inch clearance, so after the elbow it could be double wall and remove anything combustible within 6 inches, as in studs, trim, Sheetrock.... After removing the flammable wallboard you can replace it with cement board.

The floor protector needs to be under the pipe all the way back.

The pipe damper can go anywhere it is easily reachable. Normally in the first section of pipe.