Idea for Cheap RAMsinks

[phsstpok]

I've been thinking about about adding RAMsinks to my GTS-V vidcard but my source for $10/set is gone so I was looking for something DIY that would be cheap and easy.

I've seen posts for cutting up old 486 HSFs and using other pieces of scrap, including hexagonal, brass pipe fittings but with 4 to 8 pieces needed, that seems like a lot of work.

I was looking around the house and found some discarded staple gun staples. I was thinking I could just break the cartridges to length and invert them over the DRAM, mounted with thermal epoxy or JB Weld. Not sure there is enough mass in these staples but there seems to be plenty of surface area. The best part of the project would be that no tools are needed.

Does this sound like it should work?



<b>We are all beta testers!</b>

 

[HonestJhon]

hmmm..as far as the staples go....i dont know about that...might give a little cooling...but i dont know how much this will allow you to overclock...
as far as the 486 coolers go...that would work very well.
just cut them into small rectangles, and then lap the bottom....
thermally adhere it to the chip, and you should have quite the ram coolers.
you can always try the staples...
just make sure that you will be able to pull them off if they dont work, or if they are so poor at conducting heat (since they are steel), that they more or less insulate the chip.
but it is worth a try...cause i cant recall seeing anyone trying this on the web...or in real life!


-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[phsstpok]

I gave up on this idea. I looked up the thermal conductivity of steel. Hardened steel has about 1/15th (not good) the thermal conductivity of aluminum. I decided to cut up an old Pentium heatsink. (That was too much work, not having the right tools. Next time I'll just buy the heatsinks).

Unfortunately, the heatsinks didn't improve my video RAM overclocking. I still get artifacting with the memory clocked as low as 340mhz, even though I can overclock it all the way up to 410mhz. Neither of those numbers changed with the addition of the heatsinks. The heatsinks seem to be working as they do warm up slightly so I guess I've reached the limits of this 7ns memory.

<b>We are all beta testers!</b>

 

[HonestJhon]

hmm...maybe you have..
oh well.
what tools were you using to cut the heatsink up.


-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[phsstpok]

I was using a mini roto tool, Black & Decker, with a Dremel reinforced cutoff wheel. (I don't recommend it if you don't have a vice. These things have hellish torque).

<b>We are all beta testers!</b>

 

[HonestJhon]

yeah...i have a dremel, with the reinforced cut off wheels...i use it to cut blowholes...and cut faceplates for other mods.
and it gets used for various tasks...
but i know what you are talking about with the torque, these things, when they grab..they dont let go, and if you arent ready....you're lookin at some flying parts!


but yeah, i usually use a vice when it is a small piece of metal...just because i dont want to loose a finger or something.
also, i wear safety goggles all the time when i use this thing...cause flying stuff...and because i have had one of those un-reinforced cutoff wheels explode on me...didnt hit my eye..but scared the poo out of me...
*DONT USE THOSE CHEAPO WHEELS THAT COME WITH THE DREMEL OR RTX>>>SPEND THE EXTRA $$ ON THE FIBERGLASS REINFORCED ONES!!!!!!!!!!!*


-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[madtrax]

people take a look at this wouldnt this be the easiest way without cutting and all kinds of sh*tty works
http://image.conrad.nl/pix/188/G1/188204G1.JPG
you can get them at almost all electronic shops and in various sizes

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by madtrax on 02/14/02 11:01 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[phsstpok]

Well, it was slow going cutting through the base of an aluminum heatsink.

How do you cut a perfectly round blowhole with the Dremel? I think I would have tried a hole saw.

I did use the Black & Decker to cut out the mesh over the intake and exhaust fan ports. Cuts down on noise and inreases airflow quite a bit.

Those non-reinforced cutting wheels are useless. They're as fragile as those Nabisco wafer candies.

<b>We are all beta testers!</b>

 

[HonestJhon]

well, to make the hole as close as i can, i put tape around the pencil guide i draw.
then i go little bits at a time, and check my work often, to make sure it is coming out round.
then, after the hole is cut, i take the grinding stone, and smooth out the hole. it isnt PERFECT...like it would be with a holesaw, or a metal punch hole cutter....but i think that it works fine.


as for the link...
<A HREF="http://image.conrad.nl/pix/188/G1/188204G1.JPG
" target="_new">http://image.conrad.nl/pix/188/G1/188204G1.JPG
</A>


and you can make that "easy peasey" (stolen from that naked chef guy) just draw a few nice 'n straight lines on the bottom of the old pentium heatsink, put it in a vice, and either use a hacksaw, or a dremel like tool to cut the piece away.
repeat until you have enough for the ram (OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DISSIPATE HEAT FROM) you are going to cover.
SCHLIZAM!
cheaper and easier than buying those ramsinks....unless of course you dont have any tools to cut metal with...or any old pentium heatsinks...
in that case, it might be wiser to buy them pre-made....


-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[phsstpok]

Thanks for the info. I still find control of the mini moto tool too difficult for such work. (Square holes are pretty easy).

I mentioned earlier that I already cut up a Pentium heatsink for my RAMsinks but didn't get any overclocking improvement.

By the way, your link doesn't work.

<b>We are all beta testers!</b>

 

[HonestJhon]

hmmmm...
it doesnt...but it did last night..oh well.
sorry...but that link was just copied from the previous post (the one above it....) and made clickable.
but i guess that the page is gone or something?
i dunno
as for using something other than the rotary tool, you can use a hacksaw also...
which would give more control.
that is weird that you didnt get any overclocking gain.
what did you use to put them on?
also, did you change the GPU heatsink?
cause when you start to overclock, the stock ones become pretty useless...

-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[Lonemagi]

Off subject : Try using cutting and drilling fluid when you use the wheels, saves the wheel and grabs less...

Crashing takes a whole new meaning at 9.8 m/s.

 

[HonestJhon]

you can use it when you use a dremel cut off?
crazy...
i never thought that would work...
but i guess it makes sense.

-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-