Nice N' Easy backplate for your waterblock!

I bought a Storm out of the classies here a few months ago and it came with just the A64 mounting stuff, but I decided to use it on a Conroe upgrade instead. And I've always liked having a steel backplate on any of my high performance cooling solutions, since it helps support the weight of the hsf or waterblock much better than just using screws to mount it. So I got to thinking on what to use for a backplate for the build. I also have an U-120 that is presently not in use, which did have all the LGA775 mounting stuff just sitting there including the LGA775 backplate, so I decided to see if it was feasible to adapt it for use with the Storm. Unfortunately the TR backplate is threaded in a metric size and I was going to use 6-32 studs for my mounting studs and the diameter of the studs are different and the threads aren't even close to being the same. Then I remembered my old Klein tap tool which has tap threads for 6-32, among other sizes. Since the metric threads used on the backplate are a little smaller than 6-32, it was feasible to open and rethread the mounting holes in the TR backplate for these 6-32 studs. So I carefully worked the tap tool in the holes and backed the tap out a bit about every revolution during the retapping process to keep from jamming up and breaking the tap and sure enough, it reamed the mount holes out and recut the threads perfectly for use with the studs. I then screwed the studs into the backplate and locked them down with a 6-32 nut on the bottom side of the backplate, then stuck it through the mobo and mounted the Storm. The Storm is presently keeping an E6300 @ 3360 at 41-44 C load temps crunching Seti.

Now I don't have to worry about bending or warping the mobo, no matter how tightly I tighten down the waterblock to the proc. This would be perfoect for you guys that want to run bowed blocks also because you don't have to worry about how much pressure you are putting on the board.

For a cheaper tap, you could also get pne like this one, or just go buy you a 6-32 tap at your local hardware store. Just make sure when you are rethreading the holes that taps are a very hard and brittle metal and won't tolerate much side loading or they will break. Also, back the tap up about a quarter turn for every revolution of thread that you cut, to keep the tap from binding and breaking. You can get the TR LGA775 backplate kit for around $4 plus shipping too, so it's a pretty good deal for a good backplate for your waterblock mount.

I used the Thermalright backplate and it works very well. I had to tap out the holes for the screws to fit for my Fuzion. I have a 6-32, 8-32 and 10-32 from ACE that I keep handy as I seem to find a use for them from time to time. Any of these modern blocks really need a backplate to keep from warping the MB, and shouldn't be used without one.