Supposed to get my stove hooked up today, or tomorrow morning, and the excitement has me doing a lot of thinking (and talking, the wife thinks I'm crazy; wait till she feels the warmth!). Stove is an old Jotul 118 and my neighbor, who bought the stove new but can't seem to find the manual, says that it called for about two inches of sand in the bottom. I'm sure he's not lying, but what purpose does that serve, other than to possibly protect the bottom of the stove? Won't that keep oxygen from circulating under the wood once the kindling has burned up? And, this will sound funny, but I'm kinda serious; can sand stand 5-700 degree F temps and not hurt anything in the stove?
Thanks all!
Thanks all!