greetings fellow BBQers
I was having some issues with the lang when I first got it. Now I think that is was mostly user error on my part when reading the temps. I was too anxious to test it out and inspect it, that i think I made some inaccurate measurements. First, I have read that the Lang smokers need a couple of smokes to "break it in" and even out the temps. I made the measurements while I was seasoning and I believe I should have waited for temps to be more stable within an hour to make readings. As I made the reading while the cooker was still catching up with the temps and having the logs on huge fire blaze. I will also try to get a two probe thermometer to measure. I will soon post a full review of my lang hybrid 36 patio with pics. I will include a bread or tube biscuit test for knowing where the hot spots are(if any). So far, I have cooked three times on it, and I am just amazed on how good foods comes out by just burning sticks of oak, hickory and pecan. I fist thought food would be oversmoked because some of my hickory logs are still quite unseasoned. But no, food has a subtle smokey flavor and my family tells me how much better my Q is coming out from the lang vs my old
wsm.
Some imperfections I have noticed:
1. There seems to be a leak in the weld where the grease drain pipe meets the V channel on the griddle plate. When I take a look from the fire box into the smoker chamber, I can see grease running down the pipe and setting in the bottom of the chamber. Easy fix, but still bothers me.
2. There is another leak in that same drain pipe, but on one side of the pipe exiting the chamber. I that one is easy to tell because I can shine a flash light by the side of the pipe outside, and see the light inside when I look inside from the fire box. So there is a huge stain running on one side of the square drain pipe to the drain valve, it leaks when I steam clean or when there is a lot of grease setting in on the bottom of the chamber. Again, an easy fix and even if I leave as is, I believe there would not be any major effect since I leave the drain valve open during smoking and so fair its been good. Will fix though. But again it bothers me. And also the welds are quite messy in some places. I will post pics in my review of all this.
3, The smoker chamber doors flanges are stitched welded and leak some smoke. But only when the chamber is full of white smoke. Since I know that you cook with heat and not smoke, there is no problem there. But I still would like to see more attention to those small details. Like the gator pits or klose. But yet again the langs are cheaper and better value for the money since I believe there would not be any improvements if the door or welds were done better.
4. I left the smoker out on a rainy day(Los Angeles weather) and there was rust in the prep table framed angle where the expanded steel is welded to the frame. I dont know why since it is obviously painted, but I think it comes from the underside of the expanded steel where it is rested against the framed angle. Since there probably isn't any paint on that side, its where the rust is coming in. Cleaned and sprayed with canola oil seemed to better it. There is also rust in the underside of the door wire handles.
The Lang is a hell of a smoker, I am now saving for a 60 on a trailer or maybe an 84. But next time I know what to tell Ben to keep an eye out for before it ships out. Those leaks should not be.