Well, been raised aside 2 jotuls and now have 2 myself
All the classic design but i did have a cleanburn feature on a Dove before in my previous house.
Draft might be one of your issues as i never ever had any problems but too hot temps with them.
I do not have a damper valve (never had) as i dont see the need to slow down the flow.
How i do it:
- load with handfull of kindling and paper, some bigger pieces on top and then a couple of the smalles woodblocks.
-Light it with door a bit open and all drafts open.
-keep burning till biggest pieces are nicely on fire start to coal
- load stove with more wood, bigger pieces and keep the door open for another 10min or so (mainly depending on how dry and good the wood is)
- close door and keep burning with drafts open till temp starts to be at the edge of too hot. (say 30 min starting from normal ambient temps in the house)
- load more wood and regulate vents to reduce the burn rate.
I know that as long as the stoves did not reach their "hot point" it makes no sense to regulate anything as it will burn bad or just not produce heat. You have to have them blazing before reducing airflow.
Think newly added wood just doesnt come to its flamepoint fast enough to keep a good burn and related heat exchange if you regulate too early.
Also, dont look at the flames, they are nice but wont heat you, its the amount and color (white and light orange being the best) of your coals that heat you. (flames coming from a block mean the wood is still heating up and gasifying the liquids which burn when they mix with the air)
Once this stops all energy goes to burning the wood massa instead of the liquids.
Good luck and be sure these stoves should have a good output.
A too small stove is a red glowing metal piece in a cold room with no visible exhaust from the chimney while a bad performing stove is a black piece of metal in a cold room with lots of dirty smoke coming out of your chimney.
As long as you dont have heat, keep adding air.
my 2 cents