sink sandpappering how fine?

[attitude]

how fine a sandpaper do i need to get a mirror finish to my heat sink? is 1200 enougth?

 

[4Ryan6]

Actually 600 wet/dry automotive should give you excellent results you can work your way to 1200 if you want to but you're going to use some type of thermal compound that acts as a filler between the uneven places, and the top of the chips you'll be mounting to are not as smooth as what you're going to end up with on the heatsinks using 600Grit.

You never know what you can do until you try.

 

[Crashman]

You need just a little tiny amount of roughness to allow the sink to grip the compound, otherwise if the sink slides a little when you install it you could end up with a dry spot that doesn't contact the core properly.

<font color=blue>At least half of all problems are caused by an insufficient power supply!</font color=blue>

 

[Kelledin]

If you want to actually sand out large deformities and get a fresh surface, go with 200-grit stretched across a lapping plate and work your way up to 600 wet/dry or beyond. 600 wet/dry can be had at your local Home Depot, but 1200 is a bit harder to get. Be <b>very careful</b> not to excessively grind the edges and corners of the HSF; this takes great care to avoid, even when using a lapping plate.

If you just want to polish the surface that's already there (this is probably what you want), you're better off using a fine 3M Scotch-Brite pad.

If you want to get an absolute mirror-polish surface on the HSF (where you can see forever), a company called Detail Master sells hobbyist sanding films all the way from 1800-grit up to 12000-grit. Going so far as that is a lot of work though and is generally unnecessary.

<i>I can love my fellow man...but I'm damned if I'll love yours.</i>

 

[Crashman]

Beyond 1200 grit is pointless for anything as soft as Aluminum (aluminium for you Brits). Automotive rubbing compound can get you a mirror finish beyond that.

<font color=blue>At least half of all problems are caused by an insufficient power supply!</font color=blue>