Thermal epoxy strength?

Hi all,

I'm wondering how strong a bond thermal epoxy can handle. I'm hoping to mount an Orb-type CPU cooler to my Northbridge, and it's pretty heavy!

I'd rather have a mechanical mount but I just can't do it with this Orb- nowhere to drill holes! So epoxy is my last resort.

I gather Arctic Alumina adhesive, and Arctic Silver epoxy are the most popular- any suggestions?

i wrote to the artic silver people about using thier thermal epoxy to mount water blocks. They wrote back saying they would not recomend it, b/c there is a better chance of the top of the core being ripped off than the water block falling off.

So you should be in the clear. but don't use too big of a heat sink.

right on cack01, thanks for the good info!

Seems like thermal epoxy is pretty strong-bonding. Well, if I cannot figure out a mechanical way to mount it, I'll use thermal glue and not have to worry bout it fallin off!

I attached a Dynatron Socket-A HSF to my Gainward G4 a little while ago using Arctic Alumina Thermal Epoxy and I wanted to remove it. Well, after 1 hour in the freezer and a long time in a vise.....well, lets just say I ended up selling the card w/ the Dynatron still attached. Hope that helps ya understand how strong the epoxy is. Don't use 100% epoxy if you've got plans of taking off whatever ya glued on in the future

P.S. I used 1/3 AA and 2/3 AATE on my new video card w/ a 80MM Socket-A HSF and its holding fine....hell, I'm half afraid I won't be able to get this one off either when its time

I have Artic Alumina Adhesive holding on my gpu waterplock (ATI type card, no mounting holes) It's holding very well onto the underside of the card. It's also a fairly heavy chunk of copper and tubing full of water.

I recently used arctic alumina epoxy on my video card gpu. Chances are even after freezing it you will be more likly ripping the gpu from its traces than getting it off with normal means. I have heard if you submerse your video card in isopropal~rubbing alcohal it will desolve the epoxy over a few hours to a day from what i have heard. I just wonder what if any damage would happen to the video card from being submerged like that?

Lets put it this way: It is real strong. Considering it can hold waterblocks, etc. You should definitely be in the clear. Many people mounted orbs and such on video cards, northbridge, I wouldn't worry about anything happening to it.

well i can tell you that my arctic silver thermal epoxy is VERY strong. after putting ramsinks on my graphics card... i am unable to get them off without breaking the card.