More Launch Controller info

Another key component for launch controllers in addition to continuity check indicators is clips to attach to starters and initiators. The best clips for longevity seem to be of the stainless steel variety. A couple of sources for these clips are NARTS and Ebay:

blastzone.org/nar/narts/store.asp?groupid=81620092133327

for NARTS. Just search for "stainless steel alligator clips" on E-bay.

To make a really good connection from the wires to the clips, you should really make a solder connection. The problem with soldering stainless steel is, it is really difficult with normal solder. The solution is to use tin/sliver based solder and a liquid flux formulated to solder stainless steel. While lead free tin/silver alloy solder is fairly easy to find at your local hardware store, the liquid flux is not so easy to find. As it was Bill Spadafora's wont, years ago when I mentioned the trouble I was having doing stainless steel soldering, he knew the solution and gifted me a quantity of flux. I have been searching for a source since. Turns out, a company in Walpole MA sells it, and I have purchased enough to make literally thousands of solder connections. If anyone would like some, or would like more information on stainless soldering, just let me know. Also, to help with keeping strain off of the connection, I find that heat shrink tubing placed over the connection (you can see this in the CMASS clip wires) greatly increases their life.