A work machine to cut timber including a control system, a felling head, a hydraulic motor configured to adjust the position of the felling head, and a spool valve operatively connected to the hydraulic motor, the spool valve being configured to move the felling head responsively through operation of the hydraulic motor. A machine controller coupled to the operator controller and the spool valve executes stored program instructions to generate a first control signal responsive to an operator control signal provided by the operator controller, generate a second control signal as a function of the generated first control signal, adjust a position of the spool of the spool valve in response to a concurrent receipt of the first control signal and the second control signal by the first proportional control valve and the second proportional control valve to move the felling head through operation of the hydraulic motor.

A mechanism for implementing a delay in a directional control valve in the movement of a valve spool within a valve body from a first position of the spool to a second position of the spool.

A fluid system includes a reference pressure source, a first valve, and a second valve. The first valve includes a housing with a first damping port fluidically connected to the reference pressure source and a second damping port fluidically connected to the reference pressure source. The first valve also includes a spool moveable within the housing. The spool includes a damping window formed on the spool. The damping window fluidically connects the first damping port to the second damping port. The second valve is fluidically connected to at least one of the first damping port and the second damping port.