Heatsink Lapping Guide

[kelani]

One thing I've done that helps smooth the HS out without getting that "fantastic mirror shine" is to scrub the bottom with a high-quality copper cleaner. Let it sit, then buff it off. You can remove a lot of thermal paste residue, oxidation (or whatever affects copper) and other unseen gunk like this. BE SURE to thoroughly wipe the bottom with a damp cloth (or rubbing alcohol) after doing this, though. You don't want any of the cleaner hanging around and mixing with your thermal paste.

 

This is also fun for polishing down the nether regions of your case, for those of you who like that sort of thing. If you use LEDs and cathodes, and you have the time, some well-placed polishing can really improve your light show

[Susquehannock]

Regarding the lapping guide ...

HERE

 

To be honest, I would humbly disagree that dishwashing soap is a good idea.

This makes washing the particles from the paper more problematic.

If you don't completely wash the off partcles every so often

you will hit a brick wall as far as finish.

 

In case you are wondering ...

My heat sink came out much more "mirror-like" than the one in the review.

It's too bad we can't attach images here.

However, you can see it on the Xtreme Systems forums. HERE

 

Mine is the one with the 2 old coins and the blue Socket 7 heatsink in the reflection. B)

 

------------------------------------------

Isopropyl alcohol is also a bad idea IMhO. It leaves a small amount of residue on the surface.

Rub some on a window and you'll see what I mean.

When I worked as a Machinist for CAT there was much discussion on this subject. We used

something called "Brake Clean" for a final clean before assembly.

A good alternative is Ethyl Alcohol (also called "Grain" alcohol). It won't leave a

residue as Isopropyl will.

 

 

As always ... just my humble opinions ... Good luck! ... 'nnock

Edited May 15, 2003 by Susquehannock

[royal oaks]

I just checked this forum out for the first time since I got linked up and it's clear that this guy has no idea what he is talking about. Anyways, just wanted to say for anyone who thinks that lapping your heatsink is bad, how do you explain the decrease in temps. Get real

 

Also, Susquehannock that thread over at XS looks familiar.

[islhopr]

Okay, I probably screwed this one up ;-)

 

I purchased an Iceburg 1 water cooling system, and recieved the Alum heatsink in the condition of a used hockey puck! Huge scrapes and divots. Unfortuantley after reading quite a few reviews on this product (after I purchased it), I realized, it was very common to recieve this Heatsink in the same condition I did.

I went out and spent 15.00 on wet/dry sandpaper, up tp 2000 grit, and going thru alll the steps as described (including the beverages), I did not come close to the mirror shine!

I spent about three hours, doing the steps twice, and granted the surface is 1000 percent better than when recieved, but it looks dull, and I can not get rid of the minute scratches on the surface?

Is the reason due to lapping an alum sink vs a copper sink?, and or are the scratches okay?

I did maybe notice a 2 degree drop in F of the temp, but for a 15.00 investment in sandpaper, and 3 hours of my time, it did not seem worth the effort ;-)

Once again the surface is way better than recieved, but I thought this could of really helped me.

I am running an AMD 2700+ using an Abit NFS motherboard, with a Geforce4 4400 Video card, and when running Graphic extensive games IE: C&C Generals, and Unreal Tournament, I get temps at about 127 -131, verifeid with my Digital Doc 5.

 

I have the water cooler setup in the best method with the Radiator attached to the outside of the case, and using two 80 fans on it. One to push and one to pull.

I am very disappointed with the Icebug 1 setup, and was getting just about the same temps with the stock Air Cooler!!!!!!

Any ideas on this??

I am replacing the water pump with a 500 GPH pump in two days, and crsooing my fingers, maybe this will give me better cooling

 

Thanks

 

Rick

[sYstEmATiC]

Okay, I probably screwed this one up ;-)

 

I purchased an Iceburg 1 water cooling system, and recieved the Alum heatsink in the condition of a used hockey puck! Huge scrapes and divots. Unfortuantley after reading quite a few reviews on this product (after I purchased it), I realized, it was very common to recieve this Heatsink in the same condition I did.

I went out and spent 15.00 on wet/dry sandpaper, up tp 2000 grit, and going thru alll the steps as described (including the beverages), I did not come close to the mirror shine!

I spent about three hours, doing the steps twice, and granted the surface is 1000 percent better than when recieved, but it looks dull, and I can not get rid of the minute scratches on the surface?

Is the reason due to lapping an alum sink vs a copper sink?, and or are the scratches okay?

I did maybe notice a 2 degree drop in F of the temp, but for a 15.00 investment in sandpaper, and 3 hours of my time, it did not seem worth the effort ;-)

Once again the surface is way better than recieved, but I thought this could of really helped me.

I am running an AMD 2700+ using an Abit NFS motherboard, with a Geforce4 4400 Video card, and when running Graphic extensive games IE: C&C Generals, and Unreal Tournament, I get temps at about 127 -131, verifeid with my Digital Doc 5.

 

I have the water cooler setup in the best method with the Radiator attached to the outside of the case, and using two 80 fans on it. One to push and one to pull.

I am very disappointed with the Icebug 1 setup, and was getting just about the same temps with the stock Air Cooler!!!!!!

Any ideas on this??

I am replacing the water pump with a 500 GPH pump in two days, and crsooing my fingers, maybe this will give me better cooling

 

Thanks

 

Rick

lol if you got better temps that you didnt screw it up, but if u can, i would try to get like a Maze3 waterbock for you cpu.

you can find them here: http://www.dangerden.com/mall/blocks/maze3.asp

 

(make sure to get the hold downs and the right fittings if u do get one.)

[wanksta]

that is a great guide thanks

[justinal]

so what kind of temps are you getting?

[zorton]

This may be a little late in this thread but I'll add it anyway. I was not completly satisfied with the finish that I got after I was through with this process. I went right by the guide and did the 2nd half of the process twice. I then went to the body shop at the dealership I work at looking for 2500 grit paper. They didn't have any but they did have a 3000 grit pad for the DA (Dual-Action) sander. This is a soft sponge-like pad, maybe 5 inches in diameter and 1/8" thick, nice and soft. I figured I'd give it a shot....2 or 3 minutes on this pad, and I could have shaved in the reflection!!

 

So the moral of the story is...if you are not satisfied with the finish after using 2000 grit paper, look for a 3000 grit pad. It works!

 

Mike

 

Am I one of the few who actually use full words, capital letters, punctuation marks and proof reads?

[Devolutionist]

im a machinist by trade and anotherway to get a mirror finish on a a lapped part that is heat malable is to simply apply a heat gun to surface.

 

take part and hold heat gun about 1-2 inches away and wave in the same direction back and forth .this will tend to lower the crests and raise the valleys of any heat affectable part,ie copper,al,silver etc.

I am completely intrigued with maelstrom's suggestion of using a heat gun...

 

The problem of course, with sandpaper lapping, is that the chance of getting a perfectly flat surface is impossible. The leading edges of the sink will absolutely be rounded, but that doesn't really matter, because the center of the HS is the contact area. However, I can't help but think that even if you were to use zero downward force, use a back and forth motion turning 90 deg., that the bottom of the sink will not be flat at all but convex.

 

The heat gun would solve this completely because there's no physical contact with the HS. This of course assumes the HS surface isn't warped to begin with. The goal is to flatten, not to make shiny...

 

So the question is - how well does the heat gun really work? Has anyone tried this?

 

Does anyone have anything more to add to using the heat gun technique?

 

D.

[B_Jones]

Just lapped the heatsink on my CoolerMaster Aero7+

 

I didn't worry about getting a 'mirror' like shine. I mean who gives a crap, no one will see it. However, I did use 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit wet/dry paper. Took my time and worried about flatness as opposed to shiny finish. Came out shiny, but not real mirror like. Also, i used less artic ceramique than i had in previous mountings of the heatsink.

 

Already notice a 2-5C drop and supposedly as Ceramique cures over the next 12 hours, it might drop further.

 

Regardless, i really think it couldn't hurt to try, it less than $20 for the paper and some time, and it gave me an excuse to organize the wiring inside my case.

 

Flatness, shinyness, mirror like qualities, it really doesnt matter, TEMP RESULTS do matter and for me, it seemed to work, if only in my miniscule head.

[Katmandu]

Well, I'm putting together my son's AMD 3000+ 400 FSB computer tomorrow and I followed your directions d3bruts1d, I'm still new at this stuff and I appreciate your experience and quest for cooler and faster. So, thanks for your guide. I lapped my heatsink, it looks great and I'm going with it. Keep up the great info!

[LightningJR]

weird as I always thought shiny things reflet heat and light... and

 

shiny=bright=light=white (and it's reflective) (white reflects heat and light)

dull=dark=dim=black (black absorbed heat and light)

 

so how does this improve heat transfer. What improves transfer is that the heatsink, when you get it isn't actually 100% flat, if you could get the base perfectly flat without having it shiny it would do an even better job.

 

wouldn't it be great if you could get copper in a black color! It would be thee ultimate heatsink and have it used by vantec's award winning heatsink with a HUGE fan!