Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Although the "Good woodcutter's guide" reads well and is loaded with information from techniques to equipment, it does suffer from some shortcomings, most notably a lack of clarity in the description of potentially lethal activities and materials. For example, the discussion of chain saw "kickback" in which he disagrees with conventional wisdom is interesting, but if the novice is to follow advice that runs counter to other expert opinion, he'd better be supremely confident in the author's ability. I have found reason to question the reliability of some of the claims the author makes. An outstanding example is his advocation of a tree felling practice he calls the "open face" method in which the central concept is the cutting of a "notch of 90 degrees" in the trunk. The photographs and drawings shown decidedly contradict this since they appear to be 45 degree notches (Pgs. 91 and 109). It is actually mathematically impossible to cut a 90 degree notch in a trunk unless the bottom cut slopes upward to some degree, yet Mr. Johnson specifically states that the bottom cut must be a HORIZONTAL cut. Has he ever dropped a tree using his own method? I'd like to know how. If I'm going to engage in risky task like falling trees, I want to know that the person's advice I'm following can be counted on to be the safest available. I hate to be picky, but when the clock strikes thirteen, it's time to throw away the clock. On the other hand, if I've missed something, I'd appreciate an explanation and offer my apology.

The author has an easy readable, style that found me reading the book in one evening. It is laced with humorous anecdotes, but that is where the "goodness" stops.The information on saw and tree safety is a gloss over at best and very disturbing considering the immense danger involved in proper cutting, nevermind improper. A chainsaw manual from a reputable dealer has more safety and technique information than this book. Novices beware, this book will not teach you how to be a "good" woodcutter.The pages on selecting clothing at the Salvation Army and driving around in a beater of a truck would have been better used discussing wood cutting, but it obvious that his self-taught methods and his "it's not the right way, but the way I do it" attitude will get some unlucky beginner killed. Don't buy this book if you are looking for info on Chainsaw milling, he knows nothing about it.
A better title might have been "Subsistence Living with Pulp and Cordwood."

Dave Johnson is a practical guy, who writes a practical guide. He provides a very good review of chainsaw use, safety, and maintenance. He also does a pretty good job of discussing bucking, felling, and all other aspects of getting pine trees off your lot for money.

The other areas discussed, such as sawmills, and economics were interesting, but only cursory. If you are already proficient with a chainsaw, but want to know more about woodlot management, this is not your book.

My only two minor criticisms of the book are Johnson should use diagrams more when he is describing the techniques of felling, bucking etc. Also, It was evident that the author was biased to recommend products sold by his publisher. In particular, his acclaim of a sawmill that the publisher sells, even though he admits that he never used one.

If you are looking for a good book on using your chainsaw to get wood on the ground, this is the book for you.

Mr. Johnson writes from the viewpoint of a Wisconsin pulpwood cutter, but his chapters are applicable to most anywhere on the North American subcontinent. I would have liked to have seen more material on large-girth trees, especially second generation trees common to New England.

His discussion of Swedish logging techniques is excellent, and conceptualized a growing trend towards ecologically sensible timber harvesting. The chapter on tree-felling, especially his cutting in a pivot method (with top of bar doing the cutting) is contrary to what most woodcutters have been taught and provocative. His chapter on which saw to buy (Yes, I have a Husqvarna, Dave!!!) was also compelling. It's too bad American companies let themselves get trashed by Stihl and Husky - I have a nice 1989 McCulloch Titan 50 and will put that up against any European saw, but cannot get parts for it anymore.

Excellent discussion of the pros and cons of portable sawmills. Since I was considering the purchase of one, he pointed out several factors to consider that I had not thought of previously. This was a key reason I bought this book.

I would like to see a complete book on portable sawmilling that covers all aspects of it.

All in all a superb book for a beginner, and a good refresher for an experienced woodcutter like me with over 20 years experience.

The title is misleading. While they mention sawmills in the title, there is precious little information on milling, 11 out of 212 pages. If you are looking for info on wood and drying it, try Hoadley's "Understanding Wood", and "Fine Woodworking On: Wood and How to Dry it".

This well-written, humorous and truly unique book addresses the issues of productive, safe woods work and chain saw use from an accessible and delightful perspective. In that respect, it is unlike any other book on the subject that I have seen. Admittedly, there aren't many others to choose from. The author, Dave Johnson, describes how he and his wife make their living from their own 500-acre woodlot by doing most of the work themselves. In the process, he explains clearly--and when necessary, in great detail--issues as diverse as properly sharpening a saw chain, starting a saw, felling a tree or choosing the best work clothes. The entire text is laced with a mixture of humorous and profound observations about what the author sees as the true nature of work, workers, trees, machines and a whole lot more. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who owns or uses a chain saw.

IT'S ALL ABOUT CUTTING WOOD By George Hesselberg

"Every once in awhile you get a tip about life that is so logical that you wonder why you didn't think of it. Dave Johnson's The Good Woodcutter's Guide happens to be full of these tips.Johnson cuts a lot of wood and no corners.He and his wife Marcia run a 400 acre tree farm [in central Wisconsin]----. This book---is for the novice woodcutter and the experienced woodlot manager alike.It covers everything from how to buy a chainsaw to the economics of running your own portable sawmill. All of this is well written in a sparse, Wisconsin sort of way.----- The fun parts are where Johnson explains what he has done right and wrong in running a tree farm, cutting wood or, just picking out clothes to work in. Johnson's advice is understated and occasionally, unintentionally [I assume] amusing and he has a way with anecdotes that steer explanations.----- This book is full of bonuses-----.

This book might be of interest for experienced woodcutters but is useless for an inexperienced person who wants to learn about chainsaws. The author does not define any of the dozens of technical terms he uses.

As a retired professor of mathematics I am full of sympathy for people who have great difficulties with elementary notions of arithmetic and geometry. Dave Johnson is obviously one of those. One example among many : "Cubic inch displacement is the volume swept by the piston in a single full stroke. Basically, it is the diameter of the piston time the length of the stroke" (page 35). A good book editor should have protected the author from flaunting his shortcomings.