Let's Talk BBQ
Welcome Center => New Member Introductions => Topic started by: wengayle on March 22, 2018, 12:51:47 PM
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Hi,
My name is Wendell, I have a great wife and twin daughters. I am lucky to live in the Willamette Valley . I am only miles away from where Pellet Grilling started Mt Angle, OR.
I am by no means an expert smoker/griller but, I do have fun learning from others and doing my own twists on what I have learned.
I bought my first pellet stove from the Traeger Factory which was an old barn. I have had my Executive Traeger since the late 90's. I used it so much that I had the factory refresh the unit before they sold. What a great service --they sandblasted the old Traeger and went through it to make sure everything was working properly and it still works today.---- Great Customer Service.
A few years ago I was looking for an updated unit. I had only one requirement; I wanted an pellet stove that was made in the USA. Lucky for me I found MAC Grills and just like Traeger it was located only a few miles away from my home in Dallas OR where I grew up.
The MAC 2 Star General is a little bit of a sticker shocker, when you consider that you can buy 3 other less expensive units for the same price. When you look at the quality you immediately see that it is worth the money. I spent a lot of time at the factory kicking the tires. I had a lot of questions for Bruce and he satisfied every one of them. Immediately you can tell that the 2 star will last a long time. My biggest concern was that it would become outdated quickly. They said that they made the unit so that it could take future updates and I was sold. I became the proud owner of a 2 Star General Serial number 1805.
As I noted above I was sold by the fact that the unit can be updated easily...They kept to their word....this winter I updated the unit to a Flashfire starter and Flame zone. I have loved my 2 Star since I bought it. But I can tell you that these 2 updates made it even better and were worth the costs. The start up is faster and with the flame zone it does a better job heating up and keeping the heat and smoke in the cooking area. The other plus is that I now have a number of grid options since you get new grids that go the width of the cooking area with the Flame zone. Bonus the other grids still fit so you do not need to buy the accessories all over again unless you want them. The only bummer is you can't put on the upper tracks for a 2 grid system like the new versions because of where the vents are on the older units. I can handle that. It is great that they make a product that is made to last a long time and that you can update.
I am looking forward to learning from everyone on the forum.
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Welcome from SE Georgia!
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Glad you found us no matter what brand you like, or fuel source you cook with - you are welcome here! I have owned several pellet grills, and now cook on a MAK as well. ;D But, again - I love that there are so many choices so that everyone can find a product that works for them!
WELCOME!
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Greetings from northern Illinois and another satisfied MAK 2 Star owner.
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Welcome from Central Texas
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Welcome to the forum
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The only bummer is you can't put on the upper tracks for a 2 grid system like the new versions because of where the vents are on the older units. I can handle that.
I had an original 1 Star, with two of the upper half racks and now have one of the 2017 models with the slide-in rack system. The main advantage I'm seeing with the newer system is that the slide-in racks take up less storage space (because they're flat). Otherwise the older ones worked just as well, so you're still good to go!
Welcome to the forum, from another happy MAK owner in NE Ohio!
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Welcome to LTBBQ! Glad you are here.
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Welcome from South Alabama.
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Welcome from Minnesota and a Mak owner
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Greetings from North Texas.
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Welcome from northern Cali. And a Mak owner.
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Greetings from southern Indiana.
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Welcome to the forum from all of us here in middle Georgia.
With your experience, we'll be looking forward to your posts.
The next time you're in middle Georgia, let us know and we will cook some food together.
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Welcome form Wisconsin! :)
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Welcome from Houston.
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Hi Neighbor....over here in Salem, have fun with your MAK, I also had a "Real" Traeger, glad I made the move...... ;D
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Welcome from North Carolina.
Art
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Hi Neighbor....over here in Salem, have fun with your MAK, I also had a "Real" Traeger, glad I made the move...... ;D
l
Hi, Neighbor, my old Treiger is still running but in retirement since I got the MAC. There are a lot of great pellet stoves out there, but when a great one is made from your home town....you have to get it and I am sooo verrry happppyyyyy that I did.
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Welcome from N. Ontario Canada.
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Welcome from Southeast Texas!
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Welcome from another new guy to the forum all the way from Southwest Michigan. I looked hard at a Mak, beautiful machines!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Greetings from another new member and neighbor. I'm in the same situation you where in for upgrading. I have done my research and plan to visit MAK's factory in the next week or two. I've pretty much made my mind up to purchase the MAK 2 Star but until I see one in person for that amount of coin will hold out for a first hand look and factory tour. Oh and by the way as a child I too had family ties in Dallas. My grandparents on my dads side lived there for many years. We would visit there a couple times a month when I was a child.