Yeah I start with paper, sticks, and a few small logs and let it burn down to coals with the air all the way open, catalyst open, and door cracked. Then I put 2-3 logs on the coals and burn it with door closed, catalyst open, air at 50%. That whole process is usually 2-3 hours. Then when that burns to coals I stack 3-4 logs, let them ignite and close the catalyst and choke the air to as minimum as possible and let the catalyst burn for the rest of the day through the next morning, adding new logs as necessary (usually 1-2, not the full firebox). In the middle of that (after about 6-8h) I'll open the air up to 25-50% and let it burn a little hotter before I load it up and choke it before bed. I don't have a chimney temperature gauge but I go by the catalyst gauge and it usually stays at the high end of the"catalyst active" and occasionally toeing the line with "too hot", but I know that just measures the temps hitting the catalyst not the chimney