Rockford shaper owner question

M

Mike Hill

Cast Iron

Joined

Aug 28, 2004

Location

upper michigan

• Nov 15, 2020

• #1

I purchased a 20 inch Rockford shaper this summer and I was wondering if it is normal for the ram to not start right away after you throw the lever, mine seems to take about a minute for it to get moving then after that it seems to travel fine but I believe it’s not putting the power to the tool that it should, stuck relief? The machine has probably sat all its life, it has a U.S. strategic reserve tag on it and a college tag on it, and I bought it from the same spot it sat unpowered the last 20 years.

 

Phil in Montana

Stainless

Joined

Jul 31, 2007

Location

Missoula Mt

• Nov 15, 2020

• #2

No, you have gummed up hydraulics...Phil

 

D

Dave Vincent

Cast Iron

Joined

Nov 4, 2006

Location

Rochester, New York

• Nov 16, 2020

• #3

Before doing any thing look at this if you haven't already. Have you taken the side plate off so you can look to see if you have any major oil leaks. On mine the rod seal on the cylinder was leaking and depending how old it is. It may have a gasket instead of an oring like mine had which was blown out on the end cap. There is an operation parts manual on line that I will look for and post.
https://www.airgraver.com/shaper/rockford/rockford shaper16764.pdf

 

D

Dave Vincent

Cast Iron

Joined

Nov 4, 2006

Location

Rochester, New York

• Nov 16, 2020

• #4

Here is the on line manual http://www.eurospares.com/graphics/Tools/shapers/rockfordarmy16shaper.pdf

 

M

Mike Hill

Cast Iron

Joined

Aug 28, 2004

Location

upper michigan

• Nov 16, 2020

• #5

Thanks for the responses guys, after I got it this summer I powered it up and I did have the side cover off at the time it didn’t seam to have any excessive leaks.
Thanks Mike

 

C

Cyclotronguy

Stainless

Joined

Sep 21, 2005

Location

Northern California

• Nov 17, 2020

• #6

The reversing valve on those can wear and they can be hard on the foot valve for the pump, new they lacked a suction filter for the pump. Probably not a bad idea to put a return line filter on the discharge line back to the settling well.

Reversing valve repair is typically a hand full of buna quad rings

 

M

Mike Hill

Cast Iron

Joined

Aug 28, 2004

Location

upper michigan

• Nov 17, 2020

• #7

So is the reversing valve the biggest suspect?

 

C

Cyclotronguy

Stainless

Joined

Sep 21, 2005

Location

Northern California

• Nov 19, 2020

• #8

Mike

It will take you 2 minutes to find out. Pull the cover on the side opposite the controls and look with the machine running. Both the ram and the reversing valve are in plain view.

If the pump takes more than a second or two to pick up prime (and you can hear that as the relief valve opens) then you either have a bad foot valve or vane pump. Pump, probably a vickers is an easy enough rebuild, usually.

 

M

Mike Hill

Cast Iron

Joined

Aug 28, 2004

Location

upper michigan

• Nov 19, 2020

• #9

Thanks for the info, had the cover off in the past no visible leaks, I will focus on the pump because it definetly has a delay on start and lack of power in the cut, thanks again

 

M

Mike Hill

Cast Iron

Joined

Aug 28, 2004

Location

upper michigan

• Nov 22, 2020

• #10

Took the cover off today and ran it no visible leaks other than a drip here or there

 

M

Mike Hill

Cast Iron

Joined

Aug 28, 2004

Location

upper michigan

• Dec 5, 2020

• #11

I was running the shaper today and all of a sudden it’s tone changed dramatically, it got a lot louder and now it starts right up when you turn it on, so with that being said do you guys find these shapers to be fairly loud hydraulic noise wise to the point of annoying? I felt the pump and it doesn’t seem to be getting hot and no internal leaks other than the way return oil.

 

R

ratbldr427

Titanium

Joined

Mar 21, 2006

Location

jacksonville,fl.

• Dec 6, 2020

• #12

Something that old may have a dried out rotten pump shaft seal that will pull air into the system and will make a lot of noise.Squirt some oil on the pump shaft near the seal if you can and if the noise changes its bad. If the foot valve is bad then oil will drain back and when it starts it will not move until all the air is flushed out.Seals are designed to seal from the pressure side so they can seal with pressure and not leak but not seal to good from atmospheric pressure if the foot valve is not stopping drain back which will cause the system to have a lower than atmospheric pressure internally after it sits for awhile.

 

J

Jim S.

Hot Rolled

Joined

Sep 4, 2003

Location

South Carolina

• Dec 6, 2020

• #13

Regarding the hydraulic noise while operating; yes, mine seems loud to the point of annoying to me. I asked here a few years ago and was told by several owners that the hydraulic whine is normal. Mine is a late 1970s model with very little use from a USAF maint facility.

 

M

Mike Hill

Cast Iron

Joined

Aug 28, 2004

Location

upper michigan

• Dec 6, 2020

• #14

Thanks for the info