I've never hatched a thing in my life, minus some dastardly schemes and a few quail and chicken eggs when I was in 4-H but these threads might answer some of your questions:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ate+incubation

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ate+incubation

And if you elect to forgo the incubator altogether, there is always maternal incubation:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ate+incubation

As to the thermostat, the basic model of the Herpstats is every bit as good as the more expensive ones, just with fewer features. You don't need night-drop capabilities for your incubator, so if you get the Herpstat 1 ($15 difference and for a grounded unit, I'd spend the extra little bit) you'd be fine using that to run your incubator. That's what I plan on doing if my snakes ever get to size/age; Hovabator route with a Herpstat 1 running it...although I'd also like to try maternal incubation, just not with the first clutch I get, lol!