I have an opprotunity to get one a bit used for $250.00. Any info on Fisher stoves will certainly be welcome.

-- Rick#7 (rick7@postmark.net), November 30, 2001

Answers

We used one for several years, and I loved it. Not sure of the model, but it had double doors, and said Fisher on the doors and had some evergreen type trees on the doors. We just bought one of the "new" stoves, (not Fisher, I think they went out of business), and I would gladly have paid 250.00 for our old Fisher!! Good stoves!!

-- Panhandle Phyllis (tmblweed@wtrt.net), November 30, 2001.

I had the "Grandpa Bear" model in a former residence. It had double doors and a screen you could place over the door hinges for viewing. It is a well built and heavy duty stove which will last a lifetime. The only problem I had is with the internal baffle. The baffle is a plate that is about half way up in the firebox. It's purpose is to redirect some of the hot gases back into the fire so they are not lost up the chimney. The baffle warped after several years of almost constant use. The only problem the warped baffle caused was that it effectively reduced the amount of firewood I could load the stove with. When I bought the stove, back in 1979, it cost me around 500 bucks. It is still working fine for the current owners of the home. Older models do not have the baffle, so this may not be a concern for you. When you try to move this behemouth, remove the doors and all the fire brick first. And as with any wood burning appliance, may sure it has a UL listing. Otherwise your insurance company may not cover you in case of a fire. --Happy trails, Cabin Fever

-- Cabin Fever (cabinfever_mn@yahoo.com), November 30, 2001.

I bought a Fisher stove fireplace insert about 5 1/2 years ago. It heats my cement block slab house VERY nicely. I paid $250. for it then and I would pay that again!! Mine doesn't have a baffle but it dampers down with two dampers on the doors and a back damper connected to the exhaust through the chimney. It's a great system. Make sure your firebricks are good ones. Replacements can be bought about now through Menard's or other. I cook with cast iron pots on top and use it as our cheap food cooker all the time.

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), November 30, 2001.

Just installed my wife's grandpa's Mama Bear (middle sized)... once it gets going it will quickly get the inside temp up to a temperature balmy for most reptiles... ;) Our place is about 1440 sq ft.

Mama Bears seem to be going for $175 - $250 tops here.

I have yet to get it to maintain a decent temp overnight however. Any tips would be appreciated.

Always have a kettle of water going on top... Much better than electric heat!

-- Will in NC (carolina_homesteader@yahoo.com), November 30, 2001.

I can't really help you with your question but I've got a Fisher too. It's the model with the double doors, screen, and pine trees cast into the door, very well built and extremely heavy. We use it as a back up stove so it gets little use. My question is why didn't they make the doors air tight? It seems odd to me because they were a premium stove yet the doors have a small gap at the bottom and top that seems to be designed into them.

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), December 01, 2001.

My grandparents have a wood stove they bought in the Summer. I am not sure what brand it is, but that could be it. It was not like there old one, they are in their 90's and set in their ways. They wound up getting my mothers old stove and setting the new one in the corner, used only for a couple of days. Grandaddy lost the book that went with it and the place he bought it from would not take it back. I think it cost them $300 or $400. They were going to try and sell it for $200 or $300, I can't remember. I could find out if anyone wanted it, We live in West Tenn. area. It wouldn't be worth it for anyone to drive very far to get it I guess.

-- Vanessa (tvhayes@aeneas.net), December 01, 2001.

Used a Fisher Baby Bear for 6 or 7 years. A solid well built stove that will require very little maintanance. The baffle in my opinion is too small and should be supplemented by a damper in the pipe that can be partially closed to keep too much heat from moving too quickly up the chimney. If you buy it, you won't be sorry. They were made in Canada, but the company did stop making them when the government began requiring cleaner burning stoves. Good Luck!

-- Thormole (Thormole@AOL.com), December 02, 2001.

We have a Fisher stove which came with house and looking for manufactures spec. on it to get homeowners insurance.

-- Betty Fowler (jcfowler@compuserve.com), January 10, 2002.

I have a Mama Bear (mid sized) that I used for all heat for about 3 years in a 16oo sq ft home. Ended up taking it out due to some remodeling and have kept it in the garage for later uese. I now have another home up in northern Ca. that I will not be able to use because the hearth size is to short (Fishers require long space due to design and air box add on for flu piping). Thinking about getting a Quadrafire. $250 is a very fair price if the firebox is in good condition.

-- Mike (waller@us.ibm.com), January 10, 2002.

We have a fisher "grandpa bear". bought it used 14yrs ago. went shopping for a new one, but today's models can't hold a candle to it,so we decided finish out with it.my only wish that the doors could have been more air tight. does anybody know if another co. bought them out?Ken&sue curtis

-- kenneth curtis (ken1sue2@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.

hello, if you can get a fisher stove for $250.00 thats not a bad buy, i have 6 of them, i buy and sell wood stoves and they are well constructed, i have had the double door stoves and the single door stoves. i am more partial to the single door stoves as the are more than enough for my living space. good luck with your stove, you wont be disappointed.

-- windle (hurrie_sundown@37.com), January 20, 2002.

Last summer i bought a Fisher wood stove, that i think is a grandpapa bear, but along with it i received a babybear owners manual. The comparaison between my stove and the picture on the manual tells me that they dont belong together. More, the hexaust of my stove is 8" as compare with the 6" of the one on the manual.

also, is it possible to fit a air blower on the grandpapa bear's???

Roland Boisvenu

-- Roland Boisvenu (RBOISVEN@UOTTAWA.CA), January 22, 2002.

Bought a 40 year old house last August that has a "Honey Bear" Fisher wood stove insert. I think the stove is a 1982 model. I complained it didn't produce much heat (one room only) until I got a screen and left the doors open during the day. Now practically the entire 1,100 feet is comforatble. At night I stack it full of wood and open the vents on the doors. Doesn't keep the house at a high temp, but in the morning the stove is still warm and there are usually enough hot coals to get another fire going. I keep a kettle of water on the top for humidity. $250! Wow, that's a great price. I was looking to replace it with a more modern one. Forget those new prices! I would have prefered glass doors.

-- Janelle Lear (kkjazz@earthlink.net), April 02, 2002.

i have a fisher stove that i think is the baby bear.it doesheat our a-frame without any problem oh yeah in regaurd tothe guy having trouble keeping afire over night try a in pipe damper. it should help

-- harley johnson (groundhog121@hotmail.com), April 08, 2002.

I'm in the process of removing a Fisher Grandpa Bear from my 16' X 26' rec-room. I'm installing a Gas Fireplace. It's available to anyone who wants to come and take it away for $275.00 cdn. It has the screen for the front , the brick is it good shape, and it heats the room just great. I'm just tired of lugging fire wood. I'm just north of Peterborough Ontario Canada. Bring a truck and a crane!!! Takers??

-- Jim Genge (jimgenge@hotmail.com), April 17, 2002.