Better than Lapping

[Paiynn]

For a HSF anyway... Faster, better and a hell of alot easier.

Hand sanding is tedious and I dont care how good you are, you arent going to come anywhere close to what a machine can do.

Go to your local machine shop, slip the guy $5 or $10 and ask him to fly cut 1 thousandth at a time off the surface. Usually have a perfect base within 5 cuts or less. If done properly, you'll have a mirror finish too. Takes about 5 minutes.

I did this on a retail HSF and knocked 6c off the temp.

[el]

good idea if you know somebody but I have lots of hsf and it becomes a hassle for the shop and you to keep paying big bucks.

[*spazzed*]

IMO 10 bucks isn't that much to pay for a nice finish that drops temps by 6 degrees. Now i gotta look for a shop that will do it for me ;D

[Paiynn]

Let me elaborate on that 6 degrees a little. I watched while he cut it and the base was actually convexed. Had I had a better surface to begin with I'm sure the drop wouldnt have been so dramatic. Regardless, I'm going to do this on all future purchases for piece of mind.

[William]

yep, just will have to find a person but this is a pretty good tip right here. Got to put it in the old database to go in the tips thread. Good idea!

[Mord-Sith]

Sounds great ... would you recomend ruffing it up after though with 600-800 grit .... there is still that debate as to if you should have a miror finish.

[Paiynn]

Just a personal preference whether to sand or not afterwards. I was tickled the way it came off the mill so I didnt touch it.

[bodezafa]

Why would you want to ruff it up after you have a mirror finish?

[*spazzed*]

If you had it that smooth, then is it still necessary to use a thermal compound?

[It_The_Cow]

If both sides were that flat, no. The thermal compound would only get in the way no matter how good the transfers properties are. There was an article on the front page about it once. Can't find it, though