The Good Woodcutter's Guide: Chain Saws, Woodlots, and Portable Sawmills

Greg Blanchard, a professional logger, says of Dave Johnson's book, "I enjoyed the book immensely and was constantly amazed to hear someone else describe a predicament which I all too often find myself in. The information is accurate, realistic, and practical."

Chain saws can do in a weekend what used to take a wood cutter an entire summer, but at the same time, used improperly or carelessly, they are certainly one of the most dangerous of power tools and can cause serious injury and even death.

Johnson provides a thorough and very readable overall look at choosing a saw, chain brakes, spare parts, felling, managing your woodlot, hard hats, safety equipment and guidelines, advice on sharpening and maintenance, cutting and selling firewood, and the pros and cons of portable sawmills in what is the most comprehensive overview of wood cutting written in recent years. Not a dry, technical manual, Johnson's accessible writing style is similar to Gene Logsdon's in his well-known The Contrary Farmer. The author's expertise on the subject is reinforced by the book's selection for special distribution by Bailey's, the nation's leading mail-order supplier of gear for loggers and foresters. --Mark A. Hetts