The Long And the Short

So, the "long and the short" of this is...............build up a hot, short-stack fire to temper the new stove........(I'd sure like to know how to tell when the stove is finished being "tempered" and ready to use "normally").
Then, get some wood in there and build an impressive looking fire in the new EPA-rated stove, ......let it build up initially hot (for how long, I dunno), and back it off to mid-range temps (somewhere between 500 - 650ºF) by cutting out some of the air with the dampener on the stove.
As needed, pull excess ash out of the firebox, leaving 1/2" to an 1" of ash on the bottom of (hopefully) active coals, setting more wood in, .....and just burn, burn, burn.
Run my forced hot air furnace fan to circulate the air, and use my ceiling fans as additional air-moving equipment, and only burn dry, seasoned, and properly sized wood in my stove.
Is that basically the picture? (Oh, I forgot going outside and moving some wood to the garage regularly, how much each time, not sure, and bringing into the house more wood, how much again each day, I'm not sure yet).
I think I can do this
-Soupy1957

I found a Moisture Meter online, but I didn't find one locally. Not even in the store where they exclusively sell wood, pellet and gas burning stoves!!

When I get a load of wood in, I like the idea of being able to whip out my moisture meter, and my tape measure, and look over the load before he/she dumps it in my driveway. If he "says" it's 16 - 18" of "dry, seasoned wood," I wanna be able to determine that for MYSELF, before I pay him.

Here's the Moisture Meter "I" chose: http://www.generaltools.com/Products/Digital-and-LED-Moisture-Meter__MMD4E.aspx (I paid $15.00 less than the price shown, on Amazon.com)


-Soupy1957

Inferno: Thanks for the heads up about "frozen wood." I'll remember that.

Fire Honor Society: I'm gonna use an Eco Fan (already on order and should be here any day), on the wood stove, and once and a while, run the furnace fan to move the air around the house, but you are right.........if it isn't quiet in the room, you can't hear the snap, crackle, pop, and you don't really have "Peace."

Video of last nights fire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44AwvGRO1t0

-Soupy1957