If you want to be able see everything in the LBK more easily, flip your cooler. Put the LBK on the lid of the cooler and put the "bottom" on over the top of the LBK. I've found this helpful since the lid still catches any blowout and I can use it as a tray for moving the LBK around.
You don't want to bottle before the beer is "done" fermenting, meaning your FG has been reached. To KNOW that, you'd need to take at least 2 gravity readings 48 hours apart and have the values match. I just let my beer go three weeks to avoid wasting beer on the FG measurements. Making those two...
Not longer but may impart funky favors. If you're able, place the LBK in a cooler with a couple of frozen water bottles. Change out the bottles every 12 hours or so. A stick on aquarium thermometer on the side of the LBK, below the beer level inside, can help you monitor the actual temperature.
I wouldn't do that. The extract is not simple LME but rather *hopped* malt extract. A 20 minute boil will cause the loss of all hop aroma and flavor. Follow the instructions, though using better yeast like the suggested US-05 will help. Leave in the LBK for 3 weeks fermenting. Make sure the temp...