Several general questions.

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It's getting cold at night, and I miss my stove. (Jotul 3 CB I posted about the back plate last week) Especially since I have to look at it in pieces on the floor waiting for the back plate to "Become available" in October. So of course I start wondering about things, and asking myself "can I customize this baby?"
So I'm wondering...

1. Why is this thin material (insulation) between the inner burn plates and the stove walls? What does it actually do, and is it really needed? Looks like asbestos cloth.

2. The only part which isn't available is the REAR burn plate, mine is burned through. So I'm wondering, is there any reason I can't just buy the new cat, stick the OLD side burn plates back in, because the cat bolts to them, and custom cut some fire brick for the back and fire it up? I've had stoves in the past, El Cheapos, with NO liners, and they never had a problem.

3. This seems really strange to me. On the back wall of the stove, just above the top of the rear burn plate, there is a hole about five inches wide and maybe 1/4" tall. You could just slide a well stuffed envelope through it. I think I saw it in the manual some place called a "Secondary air supply"? There's no adjustment on this and it's covered on the back outside of the stove with a cast iron scoop to prevent smoke from exiting. Why is this there? Why go through all the trouble of making seams and doors air tight, and leave this HOLE in the back of the stove?

4. And finally, what if I skipped replacing the cat all together and blocked this "secondary air supply". The flame could then be totally controlled with the top and bottom air vent slide controls, no?

All thought, suggestions and ideas welcome. Thanks.
 
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