My oldest son and two friends did the "bull" work...my husband and the new owner of the castine managed to remove and load that but it wasn't an easy task. We are now on the third "break in fire"...manual suggests one, sales staff two so we [husband] thinks three...also says it' s a safe way to learn the stove's tendancies without an uncontrollable burn...s'pose he's right but I'm anx.ious to "heat 'er up"!