Picked up the Lang 60 yesterday!

[pinkmeat]

Well, thanks to whoever (I didn't check) posted that thing for sale on craigslist. I got the guy to meet me a little over halfway (4 1/4hrs)!

I really thought I only wanted a 48, but wasn't resigned to paying full price AND picking it up (10+ hr drive each way) which would require two days travel, tanks of fuel, and a hotel...I also couldn't stomach the freight shipping charge either, and to boot they never responded to my online questions I asked to date from three weeks ago. So, I decided to lay low and see of something used surfaced and it actually worked out great. I got something bigger for less, and it took way less effort to get it!

Now the pics. This thing wasn't in BAD shape, but it wasn't where it needed or needs to be. I do actually like the older wheels from this model year (2006).

Inside before:



I had to scrape everything out with a small flat spade. Looked like it had three years worth of grime in it. I then had a sand down and respray the firebox. As you can see it was pretty rusty...






A couple people have said that the paint is going to burn right off as soon as I cook, but we'll see. I scraped everything down with a steel brush, wiped it clean, and put on several coats of high temp grill paint. It's looking much much better. I also had to put some pb blaster on the air intakes. The rust underneath them was making it super hard to open and close them. It's already getting much better.

After pics to follow....

 

[pinkmeat]

Okay, here are a few after shots since I cleaned out the inside and resprayed the firebox and a couple other spots. If it ever stoips raining I'm going to do some of the cleaning process to get it ready, may even do some inagural ribs or something later today...

The guy told me that he has never used the second shelf, so it will need a good oiling and smoke cure. I may scrub it clean to get the surface rust off first....








Now the outside... I really hope the paint hold ups because it looks a hundred times better already....







Last pic with my tired helpers....unfortunately they like chasing a tennis ball more than sanding. Maybe next time ;)

 

[smokin' dick]

Nice Score on the Lang! One of these days...

In the mean time I'm just gonna have to keep watering and feeding this and hope it grows:



As to the rust. Yes the paint will not last very long but if you rub on a bit of Crisco while things are still warm, a nice black semi gloss finish will form that will not burn off or rust. Or become sticky like veg. oil.

 

[rickw]

Very nice. You did a good job on the clean up, it looks hardly used now. The fire box also is looking much better. Now it's time for some product to be put in that bad boy.

I could never be so lucky as to find something like that used, congrats.

 

[pinkmeat]

I may have to try the crisco, the wife said we have two canisters...

One other thing I thought was interesting, the guy said he used to cook butts in 4-5 hours at 225-250? Maybe he pulled them around 160 internal chops them? He did say he didn't use a meat probe of any sort, but cooked by feel and looks. That's cool, but I'm not anticipating significantly faster cooking times, or should I?

 

[sumosmoke]

You did a nice restore job on that Lang, really good work!

Yes, the Lang does have a bit quicker smoke times for butts and briskets. For example, 13 hr smokes were common in my ecb when I tried to smoke butts, but when it comes to smoking them on the Lang, it takes around 8-10 hours to get the butt to internal temp around 200. Sometimes I hit a stall and it may go 11 hours but not much over that.

I compare the cooking style to that of a convection oven. You've got a convection smoker

 

[jaxgatorz]

Nice score on the Lang !!! Actualy i do notice slightly quicker cooking times on my lang.. I think it has something to do with not losing as much heat when u open the smoker ( or so ive been told).. Have fun with your new toy and dont forget the qview !!

 

[creative rock]

An awesome find! Your clean up and refurb is making it look new.

As far as the previous owner's Q... I would be hesitant on eating without even using a probe. However long it takes is well worth it, but then again I tend to get my finished temps a lot higher for pulling, but that is me.

Thanks for sharing, it goes to show that dreams can come true. Are you planning on using it in the competition later this month? Ya may want to get some great Q going between now an then with it!

A finished photo with the Lang added to your signature would befitting in your aresenal listing.

Matt
aka Rocky

 

[pinkmeat]

Definitely going to show up with the Lang... I need cook 8-10 butts for the festival, so that will be 1) my first multiple cook of that capacity and 2) first competiton. It is kind of laid back though, not like a sanctioned KCBS event.

I will probably cook something every weekend between now and the end of May and do a few test burns. First may be for Mother's day next week. Still trying to finalize a menu.

 

[rivet]

Beautiful work you did on that unit, and congratulationson your find. Almost have my wife convinced we can "Craig's list" too.

Best to you on your smokes, and hope your new Lang is everything you wanted!

 

[bcfishman]

Pinkmeat...
No problem on listing the unit. I originally emailed the guy asking what size unit it was. (60 or 84)

After that I posted it on here thinking somewhat may be looking for that size.

Glad I put it on here.

I thought about emailing him and requesting a cut for my finding a buyer and then sending one to you for a finders fee.

Anyways. I hope you really enjoy it, and Im glad it all worked for you.

Happy smokes, and all I can say is Im jealous.

 

[pineywoods]

It looks great and they are great smokers. BC did good for us he found the Lang for you and he found a Slicer for me. The Langs do seem to cook a little faster and I do think it has to do with that plate steel being hot and therefore we recover temps faster.

 

[workoutchamp]

Ok, I'll be the tacky guy - how much? :-)

 

[bassman]

Nice looking refurb job. Thanks for the pics.

 

[scpatterson]

I just ordered a Lang 84 so let me know how you like it and anything you leatn about it....Looks good...

 

[workoutchamp]

SC, you are in for a treat. I have an 84D and love it. Capt Dan suggested it and he is my hero.

1 - follow Ben's instructions to a T for seasoning and cooking.

2 - Get some peanut oil and a pump up garden sprayer and season it that way.

3 - put two pieces of wood down - plenty of airspace, then two more 90 degrees - like you are building a log cabin. that is all i do - add more wood every 30-40 minutes and you are locked and loaded at 250 degrees.

4 - never wood bigger than about a soda can diameter +/- (can be 2 ft long if you want).

it took me about 10 cooks to get it where I feel like I have mastered it. It really is very simple.

If you have the new Gen 3, I personally do not like that flipper handle thing to stop the heat and smoke - I personally feel it is a waste of time, space and the two times I did try to see what it would do - it 1 - did nothing (not sure what it is supposed to do) and 2 - i left it up - and that sucks.

I would buy another and recommend one to my grannie.

Load that bad boy up and roll. Enjoy it - it will bring you many decades of good times.

We now made a business out of it - I am catering another event this weekend. Brad in KY

 

[cman95]

Nice score Pink!! You have her looking real good.

 

[pinkmeat]

I'm trying not be cocky, but I fired it up yesterday and am feeling really at home with the smoker. I think it helped trying to burn a lot of wood in my smaller horizontal. I had a little better idea of how to keep everything going. I did one rack of ribs, lol. One, lol. I can see it wouldn't be a good use of fuel to cook this little amount of grub at onec, but I still had fun playing with everything.

Temps (once up) stayed nice and solid. I didn't notice crazy fast recovery times, just crazy slow time to actually LOSE heat, which is a nice alternative.

I just started a pile of lump, and then started adding splits, opening up vents, backing them off to stabilize. One thing I may need some guidance on is the stack damper. They guy told me always leave it at a 45deg angle while cooking. I opened it up to increase temps and went to 45 to stabilize. Any thoughts on that?

Overall really happy so far, and my paint is still on.

 

[pineywoods]

I leave my exhaust stack wide open all the time. I find the hardest part of the Lang is getting the temps back down if you get them to hot. Its not really hard but it takes a long time for them to come back down the plate under the grates holds heat very well.

 

[pinkmeat]

Luckily I only got it up to 300 to do the steam cleaning, then slowly let it die down by closing some vents while I prepped my ribs. I was in at 250 when I put them on and locked it in about 235, ranging from 225-250 as I added and maintained a bed of coals.

It is funny how much larger a fire you need to maintain heat in a smoker this size. I really had to keep stuff burning. Seems like I added a split every 30-45 minutes.
It is nice having a proper firebox now though