this is a 36 stretch, I can’t get the far end left side up too 300 on initial start up. What am I doing wrong? That the temp difference top right bottom is left and size hickory I’m using.
Lang's (even the smallest models) by design are big heat sinks. Your off side end from the firebox needs time for the reverse plate and barrel steel to come up to temperature and that happens slower than the firebox end closer to all those BTU's of heat.
I allow at least an hour in summer months to establish a good bed of coals and longer in windy fall or winter temps before I load up my 84 with meat. You can get there much faster and cook if needed but it requires significantly more firewood to get it all hot fast.
The secret to success cooking on a Lang is to make your heat with a good coal bed, this will get you the most consistent temperatures and nice clear smoke that punches flavor and a nice smoke ring into the meat quickly. Most of us that run catering size Lang's ditch the firegrate and line the floor of the firebox with firebrick. Burn the wood at the rear of the box near the door and shove the hot coals forward when you add more splits.
I should have mentioned the quality of the firewood as well, most people's idea of "seasoned" wood is going to get them temperatures that fluctuate all over the place with nasty black soot all over everything inside the cooker meat included.Couldn’t have said it better. I tried, but you nailed it.
You have to use firewood with moisture content sub 10%. Anything else is not going to produce good bbq and the cooker just won't ever produce the results it's capable of delivering.
I cut, split and stack for a minimum of 3 summer seasons before it ever get's burned.