So today I decided to go back (on my Kinyon style hammer) from a two-valve control setup to a single valve up/down control.  Simpler is better, right?  

For some reason, even though in both configurations, the controls just send air to one side or the other of the shuttle valve, when I go to a single control valve, everything just locks up.  It's like it causes the shuttle to stick inside the shuttle valve, causing the ram to stick at the top or the bottom of the travel, and nothing I do (actuating the exhaust or the control valve) makes a difference.  I have to release pressure on the main supply to get things to release. Luckily I have an extra valve for that. 

Has anyone seen something like this?  

I thought about reversing the entire flow of the system again, using the shuttle valve's two outer ports as exhaust with pressure in the middle (rather than the other way around), but I don't want to mess around again... it was working last time I used it!  I'll try to go back to my last working configuration (minus some knuckle skin from the hose clamps etc) and see if it works.  

This is a follow-up to an older post I had which included the schematics etc.  Maybe I should re-post there.  We'll see if anyone can understand my description.

Any help?

It's been a while since you used it you say? Did you check the O-rings to see if they dried out? Moving dry O-rings and seals can cause them to fail.  Seriously a 2 way cylinder locking up is a pretty straight forward problem HP air / hyd fluid on both sides. Causes can take a little detective work but it's still not mystery science.

Frosty The Lucky.

I remember your first post, hate to hear you are having problems. Why are you dropping back to one mini valve? You can most likely leave the second valve plumbed in, just tie it around back. Frosty is right dried out seals and lack of oil are a good place to start. On the Big Blu if you reverse the control line on the mini valve or on the spool valve by accident it will do just as you describe. If you cant get it post pictures and re-post the diagram. We can help, Utility hammers do run off magic and fairy dust after all, you just may be doing the wrong incantation.

You may be right.  The pixies don't seem to appreciate my cussing... maybe I'll revert to hard science.

 

Well as long as it is working with the two valves again. The slow Creep up is most likely a small leak internal or otherwise. You could link the two mini valves together to move them at the same time, but with as loose as everything is you most likely engage them some times, then almost miss them other times. If you could find a way to remove some of that side to side slop it would make the machine a lot more consistent and easy to tune. Thanks for the video. 

It looks like your ram needs a guide. It kinda looks like you're a blow away from digit damage.