I went to the local hardware store today to get some sandpaper to lap my heatsink. I planned to get everything i could find from 400 grit up to 20000, but the only wet/dry sandpaper i could find that was in that range was 1,500. My question is would it hurt to just try to spiff up my heatsink with the 1500 instead of doing the whole process of working my way up from 400. I normally wouldn't consider doing something half-assed like this, but my heatsink is pretty rough. So rough that the cloth catches on it while cleaning off extra thermal paste.
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Lapping question
- Thread starter Chunk
- Start date
I just lapped my heatsink using this kit:
http://www.easypckits.com/products/premiumlk/
from EasyPCKits. I had never done it before, but my AMD XP 2600+ was dying a slow painful death running at aroun 67C. The kit came with some Arctic Silver ceramique, so I tried putting that on before lapping the heatsink and the temp dropped to 62C...lower, but still too damn hot.
I followed the directions (kinda) and by the time I got to the highest number grit, the base looked like crap and I was getting no reflection at all. Further, it was obvious that I needed to re-flatten using the coursest grit again...I wish I had thought of using a marker on the base
Another hour goes by and here's what I learned:
1) Read the directions...3 or 4 times. If you mess up, it takes a long, long, long time to get back to the finer grits.
2) If you lapp using a piece of glass in a tub of water (with the various grades of paper on top), DON"T PUT TOO MUCH WATER IN THE TUB! Have you ever used a slip-n-slide? As the grit got finer, the heatsink began to ride on a cushion of water. Pointness and it required me to slow waaaaaay down. My solution: Don't put any extra water in the tub. Get the paper, glass, and heatsink wet, but you want the base of the heatsink on the paper...you should hear it grind!!!
3) I didn't have any problems with stray grains from courser grits messing up the finish in later steps, but that is because I rinsed off every thing between each grit change.
4) If you want a mirror finish, more power to you. During various stages of the lapping, I saw mirroring begin to form on the base. As soon as I switched to a finer grit, it would disappear. I was starting to get annoyed until I ***read the directions*** and found that the mirroring doesn't mean squat. You need to grind in one direction and never deviate to get a really good mirroring. I didn't have the time and my hands were already pruning up.
End result: I'm running at 59C with my case fan running slow...54C if I'm willing to crank up the fan!
All in all, you could get this stuff in pieces at the store, but the kit gives you a big advantage and Dave was a friendly guy!
Scan
http://www.easypckits.com/products/premiumlk/
from EasyPCKits. I had never done it before, but my AMD XP 2600+ was dying a slow painful death running at aroun 67C. The kit came with some Arctic Silver ceramique, so I tried putting that on before lapping the heatsink and the temp dropped to 62C...lower, but still too damn hot.
I followed the directions (kinda) and by the time I got to the highest number grit, the base looked like crap and I was getting no reflection at all. Further, it was obvious that I needed to re-flatten using the coursest grit again...I wish I had thought of using a marker on the base
Another hour goes by and here's what I learned:
1) Read the directions...3 or 4 times. If you mess up, it takes a long, long, long time to get back to the finer grits.
2) If you lapp using a piece of glass in a tub of water (with the various grades of paper on top), DON"T PUT TOO MUCH WATER IN THE TUB! Have you ever used a slip-n-slide? As the grit got finer, the heatsink began to ride on a cushion of water. Pointness and it required me to slow waaaaaay down. My solution: Don't put any extra water in the tub. Get the paper, glass, and heatsink wet, but you want the base of the heatsink on the paper...you should hear it grind!!!
3) I didn't have any problems with stray grains from courser grits messing up the finish in later steps, but that is because I rinsed off every thing between each grit change.
4) If you want a mirror finish, more power to you. During various stages of the lapping, I saw mirroring begin to form on the base. As soon as I switched to a finer grit, it would disappear. I was starting to get annoyed until I ***read the directions*** and found that the mirroring doesn't mean squat. You need to grind in one direction and never deviate to get a really good mirroring. I didn't have the time and my hands were already pruning up.
End result: I'm running at 59C with my case fan running slow...54C if I'm willing to crank up the fan!
All in all, you could get this stuff in pieces at the store, but the kit gives you a big advantage and Dave was a friendly guy!
Scan
I haven't looked at sandpaper prices lately, but buying single sheets is either expensive or impossible depending on where you go. I'd say check out the heatsink lapping kits places like Frozen CPU have, they're $7 or $9 (maximum grit being 2000 or 2500 respectively) and probably a decent deal since you don't get extra sandpaper.
angrybusdriver
Gawd
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2003
- Messages
- 684
You HAVE to be doing something wrong, then.
The 2600+ shouldn't run that high unless the heatsink is improperly seated or hitched.
Are you running passive? With AS and a lapped sink, you're still running at 59c? You have to be running passive or... something. Cause that's not right.
I have the stock Barton 2500+ sink running my 1900+ (overclocked to 2GHz) at 34c idle, 44c load. Not lapped. AS3.
insulglass
Limp Gawd
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2002
- Messages
- 410
Not necessarily. Every motherboard has it's own particular set of measurement curves that may or may not represent the true temperature. Similarly, your motherboard may be giving a lower than actual reading. However, most are fairly accurate in regards to movement along the curve.
In other words, the amount of improvement is more important than the overall temperature PROVIDED that whatever temp it DOES read is acceptable and running smoothly in a particular setup.
JMHO,
Dave
insulglass@easypckits.com
insulglass
Limp Gawd
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2002
- Messages
- 410
I'm flattered that FrozenCPU and other competitors have noticed, and some attention is being paid regarding lapping.
They still can't touch my price and shipping, though. Lots more kit choices, too.
Dave
insulglass@easypckits.com
Those temperatures are pretty decent given:
1) I live in North Florida and it's already 'shorts season'.
2) I'm using an Antec Lanboy case with an ATI AIW 9800 Pro GPU. The airflow in this case sucks a dry (hot) wind.
3) I don't let the A/C get below 75F...I moved to florida for a reason.
4) Chaintech mobo's tend to report hotter temps from what I've read.
Most of the recent heat occurred when I added the AIW card. Some of the TiVo-like software seriously taxes the system and the card is huge so it tends to block some of the airflow.
1) I live in North Florida and it's already 'shorts season'.
2) I'm using an Antec Lanboy case with an ATI AIW 9800 Pro GPU. The airflow in this case sucks a dry (hot) wind.
3) I don't let the A/C get below 75F...I moved to florida for a reason.
4) Chaintech mobo's tend to report hotter temps from what I've read.
Most of the recent heat occurred when I added the AIW card. Some of the TiVo-like software seriously taxes the system and the card is huge so it tends to block some of the airflow.