A call out to all who are hard core into this hobby

[Shroomer]

I posted these in another forum without much of a response. Perhaps you guys will be more interrested.

[Shroomer]

Okay... I've experimented with this before, but didn't put much effort into it.

Please post any thoughts.

Past idea:

Use an aluminum HS and put a copper cold plate between slug and HS... Makes clip VERY tight, but I just used Arctic Silver between HS and coldplate.
Gain: 1 degree C - Negligable

New idea:

Put a 2x2x1/4 copper plate on a hsf

How:

We all know that solder conducts heat better than AS. We also know that copper cannot be soldered to aluminum. But the physical connection is not what's important here, it's the thermal connection.
Basically I want to clamp the copper to the HS, drill, tap and countersink 4 holes from the bottom. Unclamp the thing. Turn the HS over and use THIN solder in spirals from the center to cover the area of the copper slug. Then I will place the copper slug on top and screww the 4 screws in tight. From this point I will put the wole thing in a vise with the copper pointing up (or to the side). With the help of a friend and a LONG screwdriver I will have him heat the copper with the torch as I tighten the screws in a "tire change" pattern.
The attachment mechanism may have to be altered for this thickness of copper, but I intend to try it when I have the money to spare for the supplies.

If this shows any gains I will get a 3/8" chunk of copper and try again and document the change.

Theory:
1: Very effective thermal junction
2: We all know the benefits of copper

[Shroomer]

The idea here is to experiment.
It could be used on good aluminum heat sinks to make them better.
You could fabricate a HUGE aluminum heatsink and use a copper base.

I want a BIG heatsink.... I mean BIG. You really can't do that with copper alone (weight) and aluminum alone wouldn't have the heat capacity to make it all that effective.

(Begin rant)

Even with the new Alpha and the Swifty there still isn't the type of heatsink that I'm looking for to come close enough to watercooling to replace it. I'm talking about a copper based aluminum heatsink that uses a ducted (ala alpha) 80mm (92mm) fan with aluminum fins like 4" tall (long).

For us to be able to do this effectively we need a way to mate the copper to the aluminum in the most efficient way. (imagine a copper/aluminum fin).

I'm just tired of the "what's out there for retail is good enough" attitude these days. Although for most of us it is. This hobby was not founded on "good enough's".

There are a lot of people out there doing their own watercooling mods, but no one doing heatsink experiments. I remember when websites were building their own copper heatsinks or cutting up a HUGE (even by today's standards) aluminum blocks into heatsinks.

Water will never become standard.... It just won't. Why not just make the best damn heatsinks that the layman can make and let the real manufacturers go from there.

(end rant)

[The Overclocker]

how 'bout using screws in the corners of the heatsink to attach it? the pressure would be very good

[Shroomer]

exactly...

[ButcherUK]

I don't think the screwedriver will work well. You'll either strip the threads or the head of the screws (I have done both :p). I'd say try putting the thing in a vice or clamp to get the pressure. Some wood or other non conductive material should be used to avoid the vice acting as a heatsink for the metal though.

[Diggrr]

I thought of using a copper plate as a riser, and using two of the stock hsf's on it at once, with both fans.
If you hunt, there are aluminum solders out there that also stick to copper. I think the paste type would too. (powdered solder in a paste of flux). I don't know where to find these off hand.
Use the allen head or star (torx) type bolts for good torque, just counterbore for the heads into the copper. (3/8 copper should work)

Keep at it. You'll find the right stuff to use.

[Shroomer]

Good ideas guys... Keep em coming. I'm hoping to have a really good theory and plan in place BEFORE I go about starting this. I have also began talking to someone about the idea of SILVER..... Ohhhh Ahhhh!

[Shroomer]

What would you guys think of a silver based swifty with LONG aluminum screws tapped into it using thermal goop for each?

Do they make copper screws like this? Like 1/8" diameter and 2-4" long? How about that?

[Diggrr]

They make copper nails that you could clip the heads off of.

[Shroomer]

Ohhh... I like that! No tapping!

[muamw10]

You should be able to find a solder capable of joining aluminum to copper.

http://www.solder-it.com/solderpaste.asp#Aluminum Paste

[Silver]

I like that site. There ought to be something that can be done with some of the items on that site assuming that they work of course.

[Shroomer]

I found some copper nails AND some aluminum ones... Might get a pound of each and use some of that silver bering solder to dip them in it, pound them in, clip the heads off, and heat it up till the solder flows.

I'm REALLY liking this. If I get around to doing it before someone else, I'll see if OCrs will test it for me and send it back.

Damn... If we can make swifty's for about $25-30 then I will be happy. Never know, might even perform better.

[Silversinksam]

When I have a large heatsink and want to affix a silver base heres what I do:

First I grind off 3 millimeters of the Aluminum HSF or Copper base with a tabletop belt grinder, I then lap the Heatsink so that the ground surface is perfectly smooth, then I take a replacment 3mm silver base lap that as well and then use a very thin layer of Arctic Silver adhesive and put the two together and I use tapered countersunk copper screws to apply the proper pressure needed to bond the two.


I am expirmementing with routing out the base of the aluminum HSF and pouring molten silver into the depression.

Another expirement I am working on is a silver core drilled from the base to the top and having the cpu die touch the Silver core.

But That is in my R&D phase and I havent dont that mod yet but I will soon.

[WarriorII]

Nice thinking. It's good to see ppl who think out of the box.;)

Been posted some where on O/C.com, silver Eagle dollar (not legal tender) lapped, attached to a HSF combo.

now my part, Silver slug, on ur copper cold plate, with a nice HSF on top.

Hmmm.....Silver absorbsion, copper transfer, aluminum dissapation.

Maybe Silversinksam has already done this. :rolleyes:
Just need to ask him.

I don't know where to get copper / silver slugs.