[biketopia]

I'd do it, with the availability of wood you have it would be worth it. I like your idea of just having it for tinkering and hanging out, I love me a wood fire, especially on those cold days where you just want piddle and watch the snow with an adult beverage. Installing a flue is definitely a must, if you don't do wood maybe look into a DIY waste oil heater. We have propane heat as the primary in our house and good lord was that pricey this winter. There is a flue that needs relining in the basement and I think that's going to be on the docket this summer to fix up and run wood this winter and use propane to supplement instead of primary.