Free Sawmill Winner!

Free Sawmill Winner - Ralph Bodie

Written by James Osmond

After 6 months and nearly 5,500 entrants into the Free Sawmill Giveaway, one name was randomly chosen the morning of July 11th with the help of an online random number chooser. That person was Ralph Bodie of Liberty, Nebraska. Ralph was pleasantly surprised when we gave him a call that Monday to inform him that he was the winner of a brand new MP-32 Portable Sawmill.

As a professional cabinet maker and owning his own cabinet business appropriately named ‘Cabinetry’, you could say Ralph knows a thing or two about wood. He is also very active in politics and is running for congress ( you can view his website by visiting ralphbodie.com). Back in 2006 Ralph and his good friend Fran White (who, by the way is a WWII Veteran and logging man) decided to purchase a sawmill. The both of them erected a mill shed, mill barn, landing deck, and wood yard; and as Ralph puts it “The rest is history.” As you can tell by their picture they have been busy sawing lumber.

Ralph learned of Cook’s Saw through American Lumber and Pallet magazine and began using the Cook’s Super Sharp band blades in 2008. In writing to us about the Super Sharp blades he states “We have enjoyed the length of sawing time they produce...” We are happy to say we get to hear this quite often and it is one of the big reasons the patent pending Cook’s Super Sharp blades are dominating the band blade industry.

Even though Ralph had won a free sawmill, Nebraska is a good ways from Alabama so it worked out that Ralph was going to be headed down our way to visit family in Florida. So he gave us a date that would be best for him and we would be sure to have his sawmill ready for him when he arrived.
Upon Ralph’s arrival, Billy Guatney introduced him to Tim and Stephen Cook (owners of Cook’s Saw) and they were able to get some pictures as well as talk some politics among other things. Billy went over the sawmill with Ralph and he was able to do some cutting of his own. Since Ralph was going to be cutting quite a bit of shorter wood Billy suggested he might want to add an additional squaring arm and log clamp so it would make cutting those short logs much easier. Ralph writes “Billy, your demonstration of my MP-32 along with the operation adjustment and maintenance details were priceless. Thank you for reminding me of the necessity of cutting short stock by adding another dog assembly. This attention to mill application is a key element to the unit. The dog conversion and modification was implemented in 2hrs. and allowed me to leave by 1pm. I realize this last minute request was fortunate for me, but you made it happen…thank you.”

Ralph gives us his first impressions of the MP-32: “I was impressed with the simplicity of the MP32 overall, the (grease) zerks and access, the band wheels, cutting wheel vertical chain drive assembly, the dogs, bunk/track and lubrication unit. The unit is simple, solid, easy to operate, filled with convenience down to the last (grease) zerk.”

I was fortunate enough to be able to spend some time with Ralph before he left while we were getting his mill set up for traveling. I often wonder how many good people there are left in this country and I can tell you that Ralph is a good man. He understands about this nation’s history and where it’s headed if things don’t turn back to God, and he is trying to make a difference. We shared some valuable insight and resources. I can say that I genuinely enjoyed spending time with Ralph.

Well, we finally got Ralph hooked up and ready to go. “After loading the sawmill on the trailer, your employees continued to assist me securing the mill as I requested, and on your own volition, voluntarily initiated tie downs on the trailer, carefully folding the straps and securing them with plastic ties! Over 1200 miles and never once needed an adjustment!” writes Ralph.

We are glad to say Ralph made it home safely and is getting his MP-32 set up in his newest building site and we are confident it will bring him years of sawing service.

We would like to thank Ralph Bodie and everyone else who continues to be a part of the Cook’s Saw family.

“…you live by your word and from the top of leadership to the last man standing this is one business that can be trusted. Visiting the office made me realize you’re a 21st century organization, based in common sense and reality. Cook’s Saw is always paying attention to detail.” – Ralph Bodie