Nikon FE film advance slipping

I have an old Nikon FE that I still use for shooting Infrared film.

The last film I put through it shows that the film advance mechanism
is slipping. i.e. some frames have multiple exposures, not necessarily
aligned with the first.
When I rotate the film advance lever, the take up spool slips if there
is too much friction from the film in the cassette. It doesn't take
much to stop it moving.
Does the film advance have some kind of slipping clutch mechanism
built in to it?
Any suggestions how to fix it?

 

There are two mechanical methods: one uses the sprocket holes to
drive the film and the other uses them just to measure the film.

First type:

The sprocket spool is hard-geared to the advance lever. It
turns a fixed amount every time the advanced lever is stroked.
The take-up drum slips: as the film is wound on to the drum
its diameter increases, and as it's diameter increases the drum turns
less to take up one frame of film.

Slipping film should show damage to the sprocket holes. This happens
if the film binds in the cassette or if the film isn't properly winding
on the take-up drum.

Film slippage with-out sprocket hold damage means something is slipping
between the advance lever and the sprocket spool. The cause is probably
a loosened setscrew, shaft end-nut or gear that has come loose from a shaft.

Second type:

The sprocket spool spins freely after the shutter is released. After it
has turned a fixed amount it engages a pawl that stops the take up drum.
From this point on the film advance lever slips against the drag clutch.

If the film jams in the cassette, or if the drag clutch is too weak
to pull the film, then the frames will overlap. Some cameras require
the sprocket spool pawl to engage (a full frame of film to pass through)
before unlocking the shutter - this keeps frames from being overlapped but
it 'jams' the camera.

The usual cause is a binding cassette or a weak or worn take-up-spool
drag clutch. A sticky pawl in the sprocket spool mechanism usually results
in increased frame spacing. The usual suspects, loose setscrews etc., can
also be to blame.

***

Half the wind mechanism is on the top and half on the bottom. The
drag clutch is often internal to the take-up drum.

Google to see if there is information on taking the top and bottom
plates off the camera. You may need special wrenches for removing
screws that have two holes rather than a slot in the head and for
removing smooth rings. Tools can be improvised.

There is a lot of general information on camera repair on the www.

 

Could be your multi exposure lever is engaged, stuck or broken. Next could
be the sprocket shaft is not engaging the sprocket and lastly it could be
the take up spool clutch.
My suggestion would be to have a repair shop take a look at it.

 

Ahh... of course: could be stuck half-way, try wiggling it and see
what happens. Take dummy pics with it engaged and unengaged.
You can load scrap film in the camera and run it with the back off
to get more insight into what is happening.

Ditto: but for the price of a repair shop one can go to KEH or
ebay and get an F3, FA or FE2 in perfectly good condition.
There's the rock/hard place dilemma: a (presently) working newer
camera of unknown provenance Vs a repaired & (hopefully) working
older camera of known provenance.

Don't throw out a non-working camera, though. Hold on to it,
it will be needed for spare parts. The price for parts cameras
is low but will go up.

Problem is that often parts cameras have the same thing busted
as all the cameras that need repair.