found the issue - when i replaced my transmission with a regular axle, the helve hammer worked as intended. anyone else noticing the same issue?
not sure if its because of some weird mod interaction but i highly doubt it.
edit for context
my windmill setup consists of a floor dedicated to transmissions and clutches that lead onto separate rooms with querns and helve hammers. after testing by replacing the transmissions in the control room with axles, putting the transmission right next to the helve hammer, the issue was resolved!