Whether you're splitting a cord of wood for your fireplace or managing acres of woodland, The Backyard Lumberjack provides plenty of practical instruction and firsthand advice. Familiarize yourself with the proper equipment and safety gear, then learn how to fell, buck, split, and stack your own wood supply for the season. Veteran lumberjacks Frank Philbrick and Stephen Philbrick cover everything you need to know to bring a tree from the forest to your fireplace, safely and effectively. Frank Philbrick lives in New York and competes in lumberjack events around the country.
Stephen Philbrick, lives in Massachusetts, where he manages 120 acres of woodlot.
Frank and Stephen Philbrick, enthusiastic and skilled lumberjacks, explain what it takes to bring a tree from forest to fireplace. Part hard work, part pure chain saw satisfaction,The Backyard Lumberjackis your complete guide to bringing in the wood.
Felling: It all begins here, where the chain saw meets the tree. Choose an appropriate wood source and bring it down safely.
Bucking: Now that you've got the tree horizontal, work your way up the trunk, cutting it into stove-length pieces.
Splitting: Trade your chain saw for a maul and start swinging. You can't burn until you have split and dried your wood.
Stacking: Decide which kind of woodpile works for you and stack it up. Keep in mind that the only goals here are to let the wood dry and to keep it from falling over. The level of artistry you bring to the project is up to you.
Burning: Choose your heating method, lay a perfect fire, and feel the burn.
It's all here, from choosing the perfect chain saw to managing a woodlot to safely enjoying the pleasures of a backyard bonfire. Just don't forget your safety gear!
Preface
Introduction: Ten Reasons to Be a Backyard Lumberjack
Chapter 1: Into the Woods
Chapter 2: Get Your Gear
Chapter 3: Timber!
Chapter 4: Splitting & Stacking
Chapter 5: Feel the Heat
Chapter 6: Burn, Baby, Burn
Chapter 7: Logger Games
Glossary
Appendix
Index
Acknowledgments "…covers…getting trees from forest to fireplace with such enthusiasm…that you'll find yourself hankering to swing a maul."-Mary Beth Breckenridge, Akron Beacon Journal, Nov. 11, 2006
"If your favorite wood-gatherer is getting a new ax or chainsaw this winter, make him read this book FIRST."Spokane Spokesman-Review
"…an excellent guide to harvesting, splitting, stacking, and burning wood for fuel."
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