# Lang's "3rd generation" smokers!!



## smok'n steve (Aug 11, 2008)

Anyone seen or know anything about Ben lang's new smoker design?  He calls it 3rd generation.   Here is the website----  http://www.pigroast.com/

Looks like he is avoiding having to buy tank heads for his rolled tanks and welding flat ends, but there are other changes too!!!

Anyone out there seen one yet?????


SMS


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## smokebuzz (Aug 11, 2008)

All i have heard has been good. Their apperently is inconsistant wall thickness with the LP tanks, and there is a better fit for the firebox/warmer to the new 1/4" rolled tank. the folks that have them have noticed more consistent heat thruogh out the cooking chamber.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 11, 2008)

I wonder who is getting them, I didn't see any pricing.  Maybe he is selling them as test smokers to repeat customers?  Anyone else see these or had the privilege to cook on one?


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## neens (Aug 11, 2008)

I'm pretty sure that the 3rd gen are all he is selling now. I remember reading somewhere else that someone had driven down there to pick theirs up and all the cookers were capped flat like that. I think the person who bought one said there was less cooking space but im not sure how the flat cap would do that when the grates dont go all the way to back.


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## rickandtaz (Aug 11, 2008)

I was at Ben's shop in July picking up my little Lang. He's not using propane tanks any more for any of his smokers. He said there were a couple reasons for that.

1. Metal on those tanks was getting too thin, and pretty inconsistant.

2. They wouldn't hold the heat nearly as well as his "made from scratch" smokers. 

Ben's one of the nicest men I've ever delt with. He took plenty of time explaining how my smoker works and answering all my silly questions.

He gave me a tour of his shop, so I know he uses only new steel and makes every thing from scratch. He even makes the trailer frames

Yes, the designs have changed a little, all the changes are improvments. At least in my case, he added more shelf in front and on the side of the smoker. It cooks great! I'd recommend a Lang to any one.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 11, 2008)

I wonder if he is rolling his own cylinders now?  

rickandtaz---What is the thickness of the new 48?  You have any close up pics of your new Lang?  Your right, Ben is absolutely awesome to deal with!


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## shooterrick (Aug 12, 2008)

I have only seen pics of these but I imagine the basic design is the same since it is tried and true.  Cooking room should be about the same since the racks in the propane tanks don't go all the way across anyway.  I imagine it is simply cost of production controll for the most part.  My Tank model sure cooks even withing 15 degrees up or down and side to side.


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## rickandtaz (Aug 12, 2008)

Yes, he is rolling his own now. I saw the roller, and a huge shear for cutting, and all his other toys. WOW! What a shop he's got! This is a pic of Ben loading mine into my truck. Notice the flat ends, no handle (like the web site pic) and extra shelf on the side. The thinest metal on my 48 is 1/4" plate, built like a tank. Cooks very even side to side.


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## rickandtaz (Aug 12, 2008)

Here's the best close up picture I've got right now. Three beer can chickens just coming out.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 12, 2008)

Nice Job on the chicks!! 

 Hey are you sure that the tanks are 1/4" now and not 1/8".  I know his fireboxes are 1/4, but if the tanks are that thick now, it would double the weight of his smokers and he would need to change his trailer designs, etc.

SMS


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## rickandtaz (Aug 12, 2008)

I'll measure it and take some better pics when I get home tonight, weather permitting. I know that Lang is heavy, my truck was really sqatting down in back on the way home.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 12, 2008)

Thanks,  I just have to know the details:-)  I wish I lived next to Mr. Lang, I would beg him for a job just for the fringe benefits!!

As said before, those chickens looked absolutely awesome, but I cannot wait for more pics of that awesome smoker too!!!!


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## rickandtaz (Aug 12, 2008)

After the rain stopped this afternoon, I got my digital calipers out and measured the steel thickness in several places. It was just as I thought, the cooking chamber is made of 1/4" thick steel. So is the fire box and the baffel underneath the cooking grates. I thought that's what Ben told me when I picked it up and now I'm sure of it. 

I tried to get a picture of the caliper display in the first picture, I apologize for the poor quality, I don't have a great camera but, I think you can see it reads 0.2560". The second pic is of where the calipers were when I took the first pic. Third and forth pics are for comparison of the 3rd gen to the current pic on Ben's web site.

In any case, this thing is a dream to smoke on. Just as Ben said, it'll take a little longer to get it up to temp (with practice, around 45 minutes) but, once you're there it changes temp very slowly. It holds the temp wonderfully, no dips or spikes and the built in thermometer is always within 2 deg. of my digital remote. There is so much thermal mass in this smoker it makes it easy to control temps.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 13, 2008)

I am impressed!  That is gonna be EVEN a better cooker than before!  Thanks for doing that--I do believe ya.  

But, how many of us have digital calipers?  Whats up with that, you work for NASA?

Thanks Again,

Steve


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## rickandtaz (Aug 13, 2008)

I'm a mechanical and sr. electrical engineer.  
This Thanks Giving will be thirty years with Rockwell International.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 13, 2008)

Wow---30 years, thats rare these days--they owe you:-)  I like your profession and have worked with many EE's over the years.  I would much rather be smoking on my Lang than doing binary-vector Boolean algebra!

Keep Smok'n!

Thanks again,

SMS


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## rickandtaz (Aug 13, 2008)

So would I Steve! I am SO looking forward to retirement. 

I want to thank you and "Shooter Rick" again for all of the great advise on adding gas assist to a Lang. I ordered the same log lighter and other parts you guys were discussing from TJS. Works great! 

I've learned alot from you guys and the others on this forum.

Again, Thank You!


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## capt dan (Aug 13, 2008)

Great thread.  I have  yet to understand why a person might need  gas assist with a Lang, unless they have unseasoned wood. I am lucky to have agreat supply of  Oak, maple, apple, mullberry,  crabapple and cherry. I do have a weeed burner, but very seldom use it.

I will admitt  that I am interested in the 3rd generation Langs. Cuz I can't  imagine any cooker being easier than the one  I  have been blessed to have now!


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## rickandtaz (Aug 13, 2008)

You are very lucky indeed to have such a supply of wood. I'm having problems trying to find enough good smoking wood, at least at a cost that I can afford. My area of Florida is mostly pine and palm trees, I can ocassionally get oak if some one cuts one down or a storm blows it over but thats about it. Until I can find a source of good wood I have to be pretty conservitive with my wood. 

I'm still trying the local tree service guys but, I'd be open to any ideas if any of the members in Florida know of a source of wood.


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## richtee (Aug 13, 2008)

I had wondered if the rounded ends may have had something to do with the reverse flow smoke dynamics, providing a "curl" to the heat/smoke stream to direct it back toward the grate. 

Guess time will tell if the new design is as good or better eh?


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## rickandtaz (Aug 13, 2008)

IMHO In a reverse flow smoker I doubt that the difference between flat ends and curved ends would have a noticeable effect on smoking.

If any one owns a curved end smoker and wants to do a side by side comparison, come on over. I'll supply the beer, we can sit out back and test away.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 13, 2008)

I think the gas assist is like having power windows on a car.  If you have a car without power windows, you don't really see the need until you get one that has em:-)

I can't see myself _*without*_ gas assist now.  It speeds up the start-up time so much and also has other benefits.  Say you fall asleep for 2 hours and the coals won't support a new log, just turn the switch and throw the logs in and they are torched:-)  Once meats are foiled or you're done with smoke, you can switch to gas too.  Its just a nice tool to have-- gives you more options:-)


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## capt dan (Aug 13, 2008)

I guess I never thought about SLEEP!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I could see where it would come in handy.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 13, 2008)

I confess!!!!  it happened---sshhhhhh


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## johnnie2130 (Aug 13, 2008)

Is there any way to describe how much mileage you can get out of a propane tank? Obviously it depends on how much you use it. Any way to give more details on longevity?


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## smok'n steve (Aug 13, 2008)

A lot, if your propane is only for the log-lighter system and no other stuff, like side burners, etc, then it should last a real long time.  You really only use it for the first 5 to 10 minutes for most normal smokes and maybe a shot or two during the smoke.

You will use more though if you do a lot of butts and briskets and want to switch to gas instead of charcoal once your meat is foiled(no need for smoke when foiled- just heat)


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## johnnie2130 (Aug 13, 2008)

Do most here use wood and charcoal in the same smoke? I take it that you use wood, then switch to charcoal to finish the smoke. If that's right, is that common to do?

Sorry for my questions that likely seem simple to most. I'm still trying to learn.


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## douglaslizard (Aug 13, 2008)

try craigslist they usually have some oak and pecan that blows over and wants someone to cut and haul.i recently found some maple in my area but couldnt there to get it


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## smok'n steve (Aug 13, 2008)

It really depends how much wood you have and whether you are willing to burn it when you don't need the smoke.  Some people will use charcoal at the beginning as well to get a good bed of coals then add wood just to make it an easier burn.

Back to subject--_*3RD GENERATION LANGS*_-----ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS SEEN OR TOUCHED THESE NEW LANGS KEY IN, LET US KNOW!  So far, sounds like the steel is all 1/4", even on the tanks!!!


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## rickandtaz (Aug 13, 2008)

Thanks Douglas! I'll keep an eye on Craigslist.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 15, 2008)

Heard a rumor that there is a heat deflector plate welded under the hot side(right side-just where the flame goes in to the baffle tunnel) of these new cookers to help with even temps?  Seems like the same thing I just did with Lumpy!

Can anyone confirm this?  As said before, the steel is much thicker, we know that:-)


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## capt dan (Aug 15, 2008)

Steve, do you have a baffle control from the firebox into the smoke chamber. I do, I didn't know if yours does. I can close my firebox all the way off if I want, and  smoke/cook in the warmer if need be, or if it gets to hot, I can turn it right down and vent it out the warmer. Is that   the deflector plate. Mine is like a long wide  butterfly  that can be turned up into or down towards the bottom of the chamber.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 15, 2008)

I made up something similar that is manually installed when I want to cook just with the baby over my fire box on my 60, but to answer your question---no, I don't have an adjustable---I believe that one you have is for the deluxe warmer/cooker thing you have so you can force more heat up when you want too?

I heard that there was some added steel sort of like a tuning plate just inside the baffle tunnel to temper the hot spot some---something new ---I guess?  That is what i was referring to on Lumpy, I tacked in an extra plate last week.......


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## iluvbigbutts (Aug 19, 2008)

They are 1/4 inch and heavy as all heck. No baffle on the fire box other than the dual dampers and chimney. This is a mobile 48 and the 6th one produced out of big Nahunta Ga. The 4-week wait was well worth it.... Notice the pigs on the wood holder and the new aluminum mags!


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## johnnie2130 (Aug 19, 2008)

Very nice rig.


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## bcfishman (Aug 19, 2008)

Rick,

Where do you live at on the east coast?

If I come across any wood I will let you know if you are close over here.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 19, 2008)

Very nice!  If you get a chance, can you shine a lite into the firebox, and take a snapshot of the underneath of the baffle area?

Also, did you mean the 2 firebox vents when you said "dual dampers"?

REAL NICE RIG!!!  Thanks for posting!

Steve


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## iluvbigbutts (Aug 19, 2008)

Correct. Firebox vents. I'll take some more pics this afternoon.


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## richtee (Aug 19, 2008)

Hia Big... be sure to stop into Roll Call forum and make an intro post for us!  Welcome to SMF!


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## rickandtaz (Aug 19, 2008)

Thanks BC! That was nice of you!

I found a source of wood Friday. Picked up a truck load Saturday. Let me know if you want any oak. One of the local tree services has a large pile of split oak. I'm in Melbourne BC.


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## bcfishman (Aug 19, 2008)

Rick,

I've got a great stack of Oak that has been unseasoned lately due to all of the rain. I also have a decent amount of orange wood that I need to cut up sometime soon.

I really want to find some hickory, maple, cherry or walnut sometime soon.

Will keep you posted if I come across any more orange.

It burns nice and has a light sweet smoke.

Good for chicken and pork.


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## smok'n steve (Aug 23, 2008)

Any more pics or comments on the new Langs Guys/Gals???


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## shooterrick (Aug 23, 2008)

I am sure you will be pleased with your 48.  I have the older model and cant find a complaint about it other than wife won't let me bring it in the house.  LOL


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## brickeldred (Sep 4, 2008)

Are these new models the same price as the "old" ones?


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## smok'n steve (Sep 4, 2008)

There was a rumor that Ben is going up on his rates real soon, so if you want thicker steel for the same money---buy now!

I am a little bummed his web site hasn't really changed to show newer pics and stuff---but I guess he really doesn't have to market very much since  so many of us recommend his smokers!

Any more info--anyone?


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## smok'n steve (Sep 26, 2008)

Langs cost more now!  His website prices are up for the first time in years!!


http://www.pigroast.com/cooker.htm


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## dirtman775 (Sep 26, 2008)

just came across this beauty of a smoker. wow. still new to this but i have to say i am definately gonna pony up the dough for thw 48mobile next spring yahoooooo


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## brickeldred (Sep 26, 2008)

Which ones went up in price? The 48 and 60's are the same still.


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## dirtman775 (Sep 26, 2008)

all of them, by at least 300.00 each


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## brickeldred (Sep 26, 2008)

i just bought a 48 patio for 1295.00, still the same price on my screen. Ben did say they were going up though.


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## smok'n steve (Sep 27, 2008)

The 60 original was 2195 and now it is 2495, you probably never saw the old prices.

Congrats on your 48---you will love it:-)


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## brickeldred (Sep 27, 2008)

Now I see the changes. Makes me feel even better about the purchase.


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## smok'n steve (Sep 27, 2008)

Cool, you just made over 20% on your investment!!  Sure beats wallstreet!!


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