2 simple lapping questions

M

Monkey_feces

Gawd
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Jun 27, 2006
Messages
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1. Will lapping either my IHS or big typhoon yield a tangible result? Undervolted to about 1.2, my e6300@ 2.8ghz usually has an idle temp of 45 degrees celsius and load of 60 degrees celsius. I have an antec 900 case, meaning airflow is sufficient. I also applied artic silver 5 properly and my heatsink is bolted to my motherboard so tightly that it is bending.

2. If lapping is necessary because either my IHS or big typhoon are concave freaks of nature, can anyone vouch for either of these lapping kits?
http://www.svc.com/lapkit-p.html
http://www.svc.com/lapkit.html

Is it a good deal, or would it be ass rape compared to driving to my local home depot?

If it is a good deal, which kit should I get?
 
Monkey_feces said:
1. Will lapping either my IHS or big typhoon yield a tangible result?
Click to expand...

Depends on a few factors like;
1. How much is the air gap due to the concave/convex nature of the HSF/IHS
2. IF your HSF is good enough to draw heat away quick enough in the first place ..else i suggest you replace that first. A great pick is a Thermalright Ultra 120 / extreme or like in my case a Tuniq Tower (tho with a not well polished base)
3. Whether you do lap the HSF/IHS right.

My 1 day old lapping of both got me a 2-3'C drop which isn't that great since Core Temp reports my 3.3GHz OC with 1.464 Vcore @ 82'C. See here http://www.hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1031887935&postcount=42

If you do take the lapping route i suggest you read up carefully for each and follow instructions
IHS: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/402/1/
HSF: http://www.overclockers.com.au/wiki/How_To:_Lap_a_Heatsink http://www.overclockersclub.com/guides/lapping/

Take it from a noob .. do it methodically and you dont need that lapping kit.
 
You don't need a lapping kit, just some sandpaper and a flat surface. One way to check how flat your heatsink and chip are is to hold a razor blade on the surface - if it isn't flat the razor blade'll show it.
 
Monkey_feces said:
Is it a good deal, or would it be ass rape compared to driving to my local home depot?
Click to expand...
Your local Home Depot likely won't have the finer grit sandpaper you want. Around here, they don't stock anything finer than 400. Try an auto parts store. The stock up to 2000 grit (though many say you don't really need to go finer than 800 grit for cooling improvement; mirror finishes are mostly for show).
 
Alright, I guess the premium lapping kit is a rip off. What about the basic package that just comes with sandpaper?
Twenty-four (24) 2.75” x 4.5” sheets of wet-or-dry sandpaper
- 4 sheets of 220 grit
- 4 sheets of 400 grit
- 4 sheets of 800 grit
- 4 sheets of 1200 grit
- 4 sheets of 2000 grit
- 4 sheets of 2500 grit
for $8

Would I be able to get all that for a ridiculously lower price separately - say $2-? I'll probably just buy the kit since shipping is free if I have to drive out to some specialty boutiques just to pay $6 for the same thing.
 
LOUISSSSS said:
i thought u only needed 800 and something like 1200/1600 for lapping...
Click to expand...

Depends on how flat your HSF base is. If you have to take off very much material (and some of the Ultra120 Extremes are said to be very convex) it takes forever with 800 grit. Most guides recommend progressing with 220 > 400 > 800 > 1200 for a HSF and 400> 800 > 1200 or 800 > 1200 for an IHS. As I said earlier, 800 is probably good enough for a final finish (IMHO).
 
Just go to Home Depot and get a pack of 400 and a pack of 800 - that'll be fine unless your HSF is really bad, which I doubt. You can probably find a combo pack that has some of a couple of different grits - that'd be even better. Just get it flat with the 400 and then smooth it out with the 800 - you don't need a mirror finish or even a really smooth finish (smooth, but not smoooooth, if you know what I mean) as long as it is flat. The TIM takes care of the small imperfections, that's what it is for.

Oh, and I recommend wet-sanding it, makes it go much easier.
 
Ok, I'm getting conflicting info since a certain someone is contradicting everyone without elaborating (or elaborating less for a certain someone who didn't read the entire thread and came posting in full force).

So far I understand that the kit comes with way more grits than I need. Would I end up spending only a couple cents for 220-1200 grit of sandpaper by calling up every local store, or would I only be saving a couple cents by opting against the $8 220-2500 grit sandpaper pack?
 
Monkey_feces said:
Ok, I'm getting conflicting info since a certain someone is contradicting everyone without elaborating (or elaborating less for a certain someone who didn't read the entire thread and came posting in full force).

So far I understand that the kit comes with way more grits than I need. Would I end up spending only a couple cents for 220-1200 grit of sandpaper by calling up every local store, or would I only be saving a couple cents by opting against the $8 220-2500 grit sandpaper pack?
Click to expand...

Long answer: Yes, you're probably getting some finer grits than you need buying the lapping kit. This doesn't stop the kit from being a good deal, since if you buy the sandpaper locally you're going to buy more of each grit than you will likely use, and will probably spend more than the $8 the kit will run. The Home Depot sandpaper will run about $4 for each pack, but you will get 4 or 5 full sheets for that price. Definitely more than you need for several lapping projects. The only reason I wouldn't bother with a kit like that myself is that I already have all the various grits I needed on hand from other projects, and a nice slab of glass from an old aquarium canopy.

Short answer: Go ahead and get the kit. It may not be the best possible deal, but it is a good deal for what you need.
 
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