Lapping Heatsink

[Baulten]

Only place I could get sandpaper above 400 grit was a local automotive store. It was about the same price, but they sold packs of 5 sheets for about $8.

[Kovoet]

Just a suggestion and its the way I have done it. I learnt from my old man who was a motor mechanic in the days of carburettors.

 

What they used to do to flatten the base was get a pane of glass and put some grinding paste on it and then rub it on the pane of glass and this is what I have done with the cpu's and it will be perfectly flat and smooth as will the cpu cooler.

 

But remember to use the smooth grinding paste. Remember doing it this way when lapped it will be true flatness as using sandpaper your hands will never give it a true finish.

Edited July 10, 2009 by Kovoet

[DLS2008]

You can get the sandpaper at an auto parts store, O'Reileys, Autozone, Murrays, etc.

[Kash]

I used these guys, you get exactly the types you need and a nice piece of glass too. Did a fantastic job with my XP-90 :thumbs-up:

 

If you just want flatness, it'll cost you a measly $6.00. If you want flatness and a mirror finish, just $13. Much better than the $40 you were quoted, not to mention you get the entire gamut of what you need and not just two grit types.

[Verran]

I get my sandpaper at Lowe's/Home Depot. They have it in sizes that are very good (not to big, not too small), they have all the grits you need, and they have them in small quantity packs so you don't have to buy a ton more than you need.

[hardnrg]

Where is a cheap place to buy sand paper? I just went to Sherwin Williams Automotive and they wanted $40 bucks for a pack of 50 sheets. :-O

Go somewhere else... in the UK, even Halfords (the most bog-standard car parts place) has packs of wet/dry with a selection of grits... like one will be 200, 400, 600... another 800, 1000, 1200, then 1500, 1800, 2000... maybe a couple full sheets (approx US Letter / A4 size) of each grit in a pack