Should I lap the new Swiftech storm?

it won't help unless it is a defective block to start with.

i agree with plywood99, unless you happened to get a bad one.
 
A 1000 X NO..................... :eek:

275oy.jpg
 
your eye will not show if the block is flat or not unless you have a precision tool to check it with IE something + or - 0.0001" over 6" or 12" (precision ground straight edge or a large master square or any "master" grade or "AA" or better grade tool)

I checked mine and it was 0.0015" - 0.0020" or more concave but it looked flat to the eye.

I would only lap a block if you KNOW what you are doing or you can make things worse
 
i have done 2 slk-900a's with about 3c drops after and a new xp-90 dont know before cause i did it before i got my other parts (in sig). So i wont do it, it does seem REALLY flat expecially compared to the thermalrigh HS i have worked on.
Thanks
 
Well you don't need a master level or anything fancy like that because what you are looking for is gross abnormality. If Little River can send out a G5 or Aqua Computer a XT with a .002" concave surface then it is entirely within the realm of possibility that Swiftech can as well. So what you need is something that is reasonable flat. A piece of flat ground stock available at just about any machine shop supply house including McMaster Carr or I used the long part of a dial caliper that is also a ground surface. Hold the flat surface on your block and then tilt it so that it is lying on the waterblock touching just the corner of you flat metal stock. Look at it from under a strong light and it will be obvious whether it is flat or not.

Another quick check is to get some 1000 grit wet and dry sandpaper and a piece of new 1/4" - 1/2" thick piece of glass. Lay the glass on something reasonably flat, wet the sandpaper, and do 1-2 laps. If it isn't flat you will see that the sandpaper is only hitting certain areas of the block. If it is sanding all the block you are good to go right here. If not drop down to 600 or 800 grit and work your way up. If you do a search you will find a few threads on lapping waterblocks in this forum. :)

BTW, that pic of the block appears to have been lapped already, probably by a machine, as there doesn't appear to be any milling marks on the surface.

If it isn't flat then lapping will help you...
 
Cathar recommends not lapping the Storm block. I believe someone already asked about that already. They claimed they had some sort of black residue shit on the bottom of the block, so they asked on here, Cathars answer was "No." and nothing more I believe.
 
I think I would tend to trust Cather and what he has to say more so than just about any one else on this subject. But if for some reason you do find a bab block, I'd contact Swiftech and not mess with it, but after all, it's your block and your money and you can do with it what you like.............. :D
 
If you're really worried about your Storm not being flat, then get out a piece of 5 squares/inch graph paper and check the reflection for any wavy lines...assuming of course your graph paper has straight lines ;)
 
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