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what is the most productive way to lap heatsink?

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kimbahpnam

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2003
Location
Seattle
i've heard a few different approaches:

horizontal
vertical (roughly the same thing)
figure 8's

*all rotating 45 Degrees every so often..

is there a one best way to lap it? the bottom of my volcano 9 has got those rings going from the center out which i can feel when running my fingernail across it.
 
Most people suggest figure 8's, but I didn't see any difference between all the different approaches. The most important thing in lapping is to keep it flat - very flat. One of the cool techniques that someone mentioned was to cover the base of the heatsink with a permanent marker, and then lap using a piece of glass. By doing so, you'll immediately see where is higher/lower, and then you just keep lapping away until all the marker is gone. Afterwards using something fine to polish the heastsink and u'r done :cool:
 
the marker trick is probably the best tip there is to lapping. i'm not sure what the reasoning is for people using glass (except because they think its flat), but when i lap i secure the sand paper to a level wooden workbench and then run the heatsink over it in figure 8's just until the marker is gone.
 
hehe, i dont do much work on mine, its more of a storage shelf. it just collects dust and gets light duty computer modding use. :D
 
husky_ky said:
Most people suggest figure 8's, but I didn't see any difference between all the different approaches. The most important thing in lapping is to keep it flat - very flat. One of the cool techniques that someone mentioned was to cover the base of the heatsink with a permanent marker, and then lap using a piece of glass. By doing so, you'll immediately see where is higher/lower, and then you just keep lapping away until all the marker is gone. Afterwards using something fine to polish the heastsink and u'r done :cool:

WOW I like that marker idea. Wish I had known that when I lapped mine. Oh well, it won't be my last heatsink, and I'll just use that tip for the next one :)
 
Gettin' it flat

Well, Bill Adams recommends just sanding it in one direction, not rotating it 45 deg or 90 deg ever so often.
I doo have to agree, I tried it a few days ago, it went much faster and with great result. I have big sandpapers about 10"x10" or 25 x 25 cm. The method: sand and lift, pull back and down again, sand and lift.... and so forth. Remember to get a "low" grip, way down of the wb or sink, otherwize you might get sticktion and may accidently tilt the sink making it rounder. If you get sticktion anyway, lessen the pressure on the sink.
I used only two papers, 360 and 600 grit. I had some milling marks on my WB but got 'em all off + a nice shine that was highly reflective but not mirror in just 15 minutes work. Remember to clean the paper every minute or so, otherwise the grains of sand won't bite and you'll be waisting your energy! I used my papers dry, makes cleaning easy.
I had a really really flat stone(4" thick) to do my lapping on, and the end result was.. flat! It's so flat that it sticks to other flat surfaces. You can feel the vaccum effect!
 
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