Launch clips

Where do you buy your alligator clips from and what do you do to help make them last?

I usually get mine from Radio Shack because they have the ones with teeth in them. Better hurry though, RS is biting the dust. Use a wire tooth brush to clean them. But they're not going to last forever.

Gary Byrum said:

I usually get mine from Radio Shack because they have the ones with teeth in them. Better hurry though, RS is biting the dust. Use a wire tooth brush to clean them. But they're not going to last forever.

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This is actually for a club, the model rocket bank leads don't last more than a few launches anymore...probably because they are made in china....

Too much of what we can buy is made in China! No doubt that these clips are too. But they look just like the clips they use at the club launches I go to. And these hold up pretty well. Very unlike those Estes sells that have the flat heads on them.

I recently purchased some stainless steel clips from Mouser.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetai...=sGAEpiMZZMt6TxecXUIS9tFY7QKI3Y3wAb/WHW/g2yQ=

The only downside is that they are difficult to solder. One option to get around that is to solder a banana plug to the end of the wire as the clip will fit that.

This is a company I used to order parts from, to repair VCR's, and their quality was top shelf. I don't know about these clips though, and it's a really bad pic. Prolly might be wise to ask Chuck....aka cwbullet, what they used when they replaced their club gear.
https://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/TENMA-21-360-/21-360

We use these clips for our model rocket pads. Digikey #314-1018-ND. Solid copper and easy to clean with a small wire brush. But as everything they won't last forever.

https://media.digikey.com/Photos/Mueller Photos/BU-34C_sml.jpg

Steve G

On this topic, it was recommended to me that I get solid copper clips--where would I find something like that?

sghioto said:

We use these clips for our model rocket pads. Digikey #314-1018-ND. Solid copper and easy to clean with a small wire brush. But as everything they won't last forever.

https://media.digikey.com/Photos/Mueller Photos/BU-34C_sml.jpg

Steve G

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Why, Digi-Key, of course...thanks!

Why, Digi-Key, of course...thanks!

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You're welcome

the model rocket bank leads don't last more than a few launches anymore

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I think the main problem with model rocket pads are the short Estes igniter leads. Those clips are getting hit with a full blast of engine exhaust most of the time. The best way to keep them clean is to extend the lead length and connect the clips under the blast shields but that's not really practical at most launches.

Steve G

These might be a good choice

Stainless steel clips

H_Rocket
These might be a good choice

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Nice find! Just ordered a couple of dozen. Will compare to the copper clips at our launch next month.

Steve G

Mcmaster Carr

https://www.mcmaster.com/#test-lead-adapters/=vzox4t

H_Rocket said:

These might be a good choice

Stainless steel clips

Click to expand...

sghioto said:

Nice find! Just ordered a couple of dozen. Will compare to the copper clips at our launch next month.

Steve G

Click to expand...

CMASS uses stainless steel clips. We used to purchase them from NARTS https://blastzone.org/nar/narts/store.asp?groupid=81620092133327 but Al's source is cheaper. We get many hundreds and probably over 1,000 launches per clip. You need special (silver) solder and special stainless steel flux but considering that we launch between 3,000 to 5,000 rockets per year and the clip leads last several seasons there's nothing better. Simply use sanding screen before each launch and they seem to last forever as it's the wire insulation near the clips that fails first.

Bob