Help making a decision please.

[1870farmhouse]

There are some red flags with cutting the legs. That is going to lower the firebox which will increase the hearth protection requirements. The stove radiates heat out from the front door. It needs 16" of hearth protection in front of the stove door, with the uncut legs. It's unknown when lowering it. The setup in post #28 looked better and safer, especially with the wood mantel above the stove.

The photo from post 28 is included. Yes the door radiates heat I agree. But it’s designed to radiate from the top as well as I held a piece of tissue paper over the top and the paper blows directly up. And the Lopi have multiple videos describing their designed convection air flow from the stove bottom out through the top.
First photo is the post 28 you referenced. Second photo is what I’d like to do as the top isn’t completely covered under the firebox lintel

Wouldn’t the stove radiate more heat if more of the top and sides were exposed instead of being fully inside the firebox?
What about the heat from the stove top being trapped under the lintel?

 

[stoveliker]

Paper going up is not radiative but is heat shed by convection.
A stove in a fireplace should have a blower to get the heat out of there.

Cutting legs will void the certification with required clearances.