Wood-Mizer hydraulics "fine tuning".

[Bibbyman]

In case I'm not the last one to come across this problem and struggle to figure it out,  here is the "ailment" and the "cure".

The clamp in-out function on our Wood-Mizer HD Super mill had been sticking or intermittent for a couple of weeks.  First we thought we needed to clean and adjust the contact and strip.  We thought it was better then it'd get worse.  We checked the fluid level and everything else obvious about the pumps, solenoid, etc.  Still the problem persisted.  

Well,  Sunday the problem stop persisting as it just stopped all together.  All the other valves and hydraulic devices worked - just the clamp in-out was delinquent.   Exhausting of any new ideas,  I broke down and got out the manual and found the hydraulic trouble shooting guide.  It talked about adjusting the cams on the valve body so to trigger a little micro switch.

Mary and I figured out how to get to the valve body on our Command Control by taking the bottom/back off the box and peeling back the cover over the hoses.  

I should have taken pictures but we were in a hurry to get back into production.  

There is a rod about 3/8" diameter that sticks out the bottom of each valve body.  This rod has a groove milled into it with sloping sides.  A little pushrod about 1/10" diameter and 3/4" long sets in the bottom of this groove.  When the HD lever is pulled or pushed the pushrod is pushed out maybe 1/16 of an inch.  The pushrod pushes on a small rocker arm that turns a shaft just a few degrees.  (Looks like a miniature rocker arm assembly on an old Chevy straight 6)  The shaft has a paddle at one end that depresses a little micro switch that bumps the solenoid on the hydraulic pumps.  

The fix was to loosen a little setscrew and adjust the "lash" on the rocker arm and retighten. Didn't take but a couple of thousands but that fixed it good as new.

[dewwood]

Bibbyman,

Thanks for the info!  I had a similiar problem shortly after I purchased my mill (used).  It was only a loose set screw where you were talking about but it sure gave me fits until I finally got it corrected.  Its a post like yours that can save a person lots of time.  Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

Dewey

[biziedizie]

  Did ya guys have to put locktite on that screw when ya finished???

    Steve

[Bibbyman]

In the case with our mill, the set screw was tight and so was the rocker arm. Just needed a little adjustment.  Now that I know what causes this, it's an easy fix.

[biziedizie]

  Hey Bibby have you ever thought about opening something in the knowledge base about WM problems??? Since I've been here all the WM problems seem to be little ones like "turn this screw or adjust this" Seems to me that alot of down time could be saved if a guy could come here and look through a thread and find a cure as we all know what a pain it is to read manuals. As there are alot of WM owners here this might be a good thing What do you guys think???


     Steve

[Kevin_H.]

Hey Bib,
I had the same problem with mine, I have the old style clamp and if I started the pump with another lever the clamp would work fine, Finally got the time to go in and adjust it.

On the two plane clamp is the in and out lever the last one in the line of valves. Just looking for a common thread.

[Tom]

Bizie,
Nobody ever reads the knowledge base anyway :-/ :-/
You know? Anybody can put something in the knowledge base.  If they read another member's post and think it is a gem of wisdom, they should put it in there themselves. It's nice if the posters name and the submittors name is written at the bottom or somewhere.  It lets people know who is being envolved with the forum.

The info is certainly throughout the forum if one cares to look.  Putting it all in one place isn't a bad idea for troubleshooting any of the manufacturers mills. The biggest problem you run into is model changes, parts replacement and design changes.  As good a customer service department as Wood Mizer has, one is generally better going straight to the horses mouth first.  Even if it's in the book, it gives them a chance to help you and you a chance to get your name in front of them  I'm from the 'old school" where I like to do business face to face.  I still like going into the bank and would rather go to my local ACE than Walmart.  It give you the chance to develop relationships, shake hands and smile.   When we get too "off-line" we lose the art of being personable. :D            (Tom's opinion)

[AndyB]

Tom:

At least one person on the forum reads the knowledge base.  I've checked out most of it.  Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment  :D :D :D

[biziedizie]

  Tom the knowledge base is full of interesting things and I always enjoy going over there Wish more people would post there.
  What I was thinking about the WM thing was that it would be cool for a guy that's buying a used mill to be able to look through some posts about the problems that they have had and how they fix them. Now that I think of it maybe it would be a great idea for all mill owners to post their fixes on the mills that they own.
  The reason that I mentioned WM was for the fact that these mills have very little problems and when they do they always seem to be minor things that could drive a guy nuts but not cost him a fortune 8)


   Steve

[Tom]

It would make an interesting place on the forum but woodmizer owners get the quickest response by calling the toll free number to customer service and gettinj the fixes straight from the horses mouth.  You wouldn't believe the information that the Customer Service guys have at their finger tips. They must have a company prepared site on their computer like you are talking about.

[Bibbyman]

And... You know what?  After I've floundered around on a problem for awhile,  I check the manual.  Most likely the fix is somewhere in the Trouble Shooting guide.  Sometimes I don't find it until after I've call WM.  Oh Yea!  That was what they were talking about.  

Mary complains that the manuals were written by someone that knows what they are talking about.  The point being,  if you DON'T know what they are talking about,  then it's hard to understand.  That's where the WM service guy (or gal) goes through the problem with you and interpreters it into the "thing-a-mah-gig" to the "do-hicky" is making this "eakaty-eakaty" sound, language. :D

Speaking of WM service.  At the last WM field days I was talking to Greg Bear who works the service desk.  He's been there for years and has helped me a number of times.  Great soft-spoken guy who'll stay in there with you until your problem is fixed.  He said WM has a minimum of 12 Service Technicians available to customers by phone during regular business hours.  Then they have their field offices with trained technicians to help their local customers with repairs, parts and service.