Lang Rust Questions

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zotie

Newbie
Original poster
Jul 14, 2014
20
11
Santa Ynez California
Hey All-

I just picked up a lang 36" standard from a guy in down south this weekend for $300.  Everything was in working order it just had been outside with no tarp and neglected.  I guess his neighbor was the producer of pitmasters and gave him the Lang because it was the back up Q to his back up Q and didn't want to move it when he moved.  So the guy really didn't know what it was and he didn't like BBQing... Thank you Craigslist.

Anyways there was a lot of surface rust so I cleaned it up with a wire wheel on a grinder.  I was going to go to bare metal but it took 3 flap disk blades and two hours for me to get the top of the fire box polished clean.  So @ $7 for the flap disks and my urge to get smoking, I figured the wire wheel on the grinder was enough.  So I pressure washed it and then used the wire wheel to get all the surface rust off as well as the debris and just finished painting the exterior with rustoleum High Temp (2000F) paint.  I put on two coats. @ $7 a can I used 6 cans, not too expensive for a yearly or bi yearly rust management program.

My question lies on the inside of the lang.  I don't think it was ever seasoned properly and there is rust on the grates on the inside and a tiny bit on the side walls, and a bit on the griddle.  There is also a build up of creosote.  So I know you are not supposed to paint the inside, but should I take out all the grates and wire wheel it back to bare metal as well and then start the seasoning process all over again?  As i understand that cooking oil acts as the rust barrier on the inside much like a cast iron skillet.

Also in inside of the firebox has some rust in it aswell.  What would be the clean up procedure there?  Ok to put BBQ pain inside the firebox?  My guess is no.  Same oil method for the inside of the cooker?

thanks,

Will post before and after pics soon.

RZ-
 
Congrats GREAT buy. Personally I would pressure wash the inside then immediately after start a fire to dry it. Then wire brush any rust and re-season the entire inside again. Some people will also coat the outside with oil and heat it up to prevent rust just like the inside
 
Last edited:
I think you are on the right track. You could have it sandblasted out. that would get it all. Might cost a few bucks though. I don't think you would want to paint anywhere in there. spray it down real good with oil and burn to season.
 
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