Beer brewer thinking of making cider for first time

So I'm standing in my backyard realizing this pear tree I have is going to be loaded once again this year. My mom takes some of them and makes some very nice pear butter but other than that most go to waste. Further my neighbor down the street throws up a "free pears" sign every year. So I was thinking I might try a hand at pear cider. After some browsing I haven't been able to come across a 1. 2. 3. on how to make cider from a basket of pears or what might be involed. I was hoping someone knew a good article link, how to video or book to give me a base on the process?

http://www.amazon.com/Cider-Hard-Sweet-History-Traditions/dp/0881508195/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1298862807&sr=8-3

I found this book to be really interesting and helpful.

Try looking up "Perry" that's tends to be the term for pear cider, though many sites have both names on it . Otherwise, look up how to make a hard cider from whole apples, and the process is said to be the same.
Granted, I don't have a press, so I can't juice any of my own fruits yet so take my words with a grain of salt. I just like to research and talk.

Generally speaking, you'll be pressing the pears for juice, like you would apples. Usually grinding them up then pressing them through a press. Some people seem to mention using a larger mesh, or mention they've had the bag kinda filled and that the pears clogged it up a bit. http://woodlandantics.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/pressing-pears/
The rest seems to be like cider.
Pectic enzyme to help clear the pectin.
Take a measurement for gravity.
Add this and yeast (or wild yeast and anything else desired) to a fermenter.
Wait.
Possibly rack and age, or do a sweet perry like you would a sweet cider per the stickys.

definitely read some of the previous threads on perry, you will see that some pears give nice juice but many varieties ferment out to something resembling pond water. i would make sure that mine were sure to give a drinkable product before embarking on anything large scale if i were you. which i am assuredly not. if they aren't great you could consider doing an apple pear blend? good luck and please post results

Thanks guys. I'd never heard the term Perry before but that'll definitely help. I hadn't even thought that I may need to figure out exactly what kind of pears I'm dealing with. All I know is they make a fine pear butter so I assumed they'd make a tasty cider.