Drilling holes in copper? Cutting heatsinks? etc?

blackjackel · Feb 2, 2004

Yeah, i have a dremel and some carbide/diamond cutters.

Ive noticed its quite hard to cut heatsinks, takes a long long time and the heatsinks get really hot to the point where you cant touch them anymore while cutting them...

So whats the best way to cut heatsinks?

I also need to drill holes through 1/2 inch chunks of copper coldplate to make it so that it would fit on my gfx card, whats the best way to do this?

hUMANbEATbOX · Feb 2, 2004

drillpress.

squeakygeek · Feb 2, 2004

A drill press works best for the holes, and it's good to hold the sink in a vise while you're cutting it with the dremel.

hUMANbEATbOX · Feb 2, 2004

just make sure to pad the vise a bit!

i use an old cut up inner tube.

squeakygeek · Feb 2, 2004

Index cards also work for protecting the copper from scuffs when it's in the vise.

Shadowcat · Feb 2, 2004

Don't forget plenty of cutting lube, if you don't want to get the proper oil etc, go for some WD40 and spray it on lavishly every now and then.

When working with copper it tends to heat up a lot and get 'sticky' which can cause problems with drill bits.

Shadowcat · Feb 2, 2004

Also, for cutting a heatsink (as in straight channels) some form of Mill is your best bet I believe.. unless you have a very steady hand with your dremel

squeakygeek · Feb 3, 2004

I don't think he's trying to fabricate a heatsink, I think he's trying to modify one. I don't really think he needs any kind of oil for that. I've done everything from cutting a heatsink to milling my own waterblocks and I've never used any oil, and never had any problems.

Susquehannock · Feb 3, 2004

Shadowcat said:
Don't forget plenty of cutting lube, if you don't want to get the proper oil etc, go for some WD40 and spray it on lavishly every now and then.

When working with copper it tends to heat up a lot and get 'sticky' which can cause problems with drill bits.

Yes, ... use some lubricant as Copper is soft
and easily sticks to the cutter.
You'll discover your bits/cutters last longer too. :clap:

Actually, candle wax works great as a cutting lube with
softer metals. Trust me ... I'm a Machinist and have used this many times.

Dubbin1 · Feb 3, 2004

blackjackel said:
So whats the best way to cut heatsinks?

Band saw and lots of :beer:

Sniperboy · Feb 4, 2004

Re: Re: Drilling holes in copper? Cutting heatsinks? etc?

Dubbin1 said:
Band saw and lots of

That sounds more like a good way to lose your arm!

ProBoner · Feb 4, 2004

Re: Re: Re: Drilling holes in copper? Cutting heatsinks? etc?

Sniperboy said:
That sounds more like a good way to lose your arm!

Bah, like he'd feel it!

Sony · Feb 4, 2004

LOL yea use lots of oil I have Tri-Flow and Zep 45 they both have a ton of teflon in it and I use it on everything that needs it. The stuff is powerful I used it to clean bearings in a plastic cup and it ate right through the cup. I use it mainly on my bike for gear lubracant but it works on everything and anything metal. It comes in a spray can like WD-40 but is much better and doesn't wash off. Try to get sme or something similar at a bike shop or something it's great stuff and has a ton of uses. Also it's only $10 for a huge can thats about the size of my forearm.

wildfrogman · Feb 4, 2004

Best way to cut heatsinks....I usually use a hack saw/vice. Drilling copper...make sure your drill bits are very sharp and dont drill too fast. Lube the metal ofcoarse but also you may like putting the copper in the freezer for a while. It makes the copper take longer to warm up that way also.

Susquehannock · Feb 4, 2004

Sony said:
LOL yea use lots of oil I have Tri-Flow and Zep 45 they both have a ton of teflon in it and I use it on everything that needs it. The stuff is powerful I used it to clean bearings in a plastic cup and it ate right through the cup. I use it mainly on my bike for gear lubracant but it works on everything and anything metal. It comes in a spray can like WD-40 but is much better and doesn't wash off. Try to get sme or something similar at a bike shop or something it's great stuff and has a ton of uses. Also it's only $10 for a huge can thats about the size of my forearm.

Please make sure that stuff doesn't get on your skin.

Washing it off a few minutes later won't cut it as the solvents
absorb directly into your bloodstream. Think about what
it did to your plastic cup. = solvent.

Even if you don't see immediate effects, your skin and/or
liver can show damage years, or even decades later. Trust
me, I have far too much personal experience with this.

OSHA came to our workplace many times about this very issue.
Too bad those cans don't have "MSDS" labeling.

Then again, they'd have to attach a huge book with the can.

("MSDS" = Material Safty Data Sheet)

edit: .................
FYI .........
Here* is the MSDS for Zep 45.

And here* is the MSDS for Tri-Flow.
________________________________________________
excerpt:
CHRONIC EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE:
Repeated or prolonged contact by inhalation or skin absorption may produce liver
or kidney damage or damage to the central nervous system, characterized by ting-
ling or numbness in the extremities, blurred vision or confusion. Skin, which is
defatted by repeated exposure to solvents, is more susceptible to irritation,
infection, and dermatitis.

Sony · Feb 4, 2004

Thx for the info, good thing I only use it outside.

@md0Cer · Feb 4, 2004

For cutting it, what about just running water over it? That would take care of the heat and wash the copper away.

Agent_Mull · Feb 4, 2004

just take an old psu and hsf and use that to cool the hs when you are cutting it.

lol, idk if that would have enough cooling power to cool it, but cpus put out the most wats of heat per area than most other house hold items. Even irons.

blackjackel · Feb 5, 2004

I found a nice guy willing to drill the holes in copper for me with his mill for free! He is on campus, head of one of our three machine shops, but he told me "no good deed goes unpunished" meaning that i will ask him for more tasks...

So i dont want to ask him to cut my heatsinks for me, i am still interested in how to cut the heatsinks...

It took me an hour to cut one heatsink in half with my diamond bit, and halfway through cutting the 2nd heatsink, dremel died....

It was getting too hot =(

Dremel is definately out of the question for cutting heatsinks, i saw suggestions for hacksaw and bandsaw, anything else?

as I am highly interested now in purchasing the best tool for cutting heatsinks (other than dremel, heh)

also..

Agent_Mull said:
just take an old psu and hsf and use that to cool the hs when you are cutting it.

lol, idk if that would have enough cooling power to cool it, but cpus put out the most wats of heat per area than most other house hold items. Even irons.

[youknowwhatthismeans]
You know what this means? Irons are not very efficient! what a shame!

You know what this means? We must create a more efficient iron!

You know what this means? We must create a CPU the size and shape of an iron base, and use it in making a more energy-efficient iron! =D
[/youknowwhatthismeans]

And although i dont reply, i do read this thread quite often =)

Drilling holes in copper? Cutting heatsinks? etc?

blackjackel

Member

hUMANbEATbOX

Contributing Member

squeakygeek

Member

hUMANbEATbOX

Contributing Member

squeakygeek

Member

Shadowcat

Member

Shadowcat

Member

squeakygeek

Member

Susquehannock

The Mad Smelter

Dubbin1

Member

Sniperboy

Member

ProBoner

Member

Sony

Senior Lighting Designer

wildfrogman

Member

Susquehannock

The Mad Smelter

Sony

Senior Lighting Designer

@md0Cer

Senior Member

Agent_Mull

Member

blackjackel

Member

Similar threads