Do I need to Lap my new SP-94?

[Darkmatterx]

I know this is a bit off topic but its related to the CPU and the heatsink forum is not very active.

I just got a SP-94, a Zalman NB heatsink, and one of the Zalman video card heatpipe coolers with the fan. I need to rip apart my computer to install all this stuff and I wasn't sure if I needed to lap any of them. I hear Zalmans stuff is usually very good for surface finnish but I wasn't sure about the SP-94.

Also, if I DO need to lap anything will this sandpaper I have work?
Its 3M Alluminum Oxide Sandpaper. It says its "Fine 150"
Thats all I have to use atm.

Thanks!

 

[caseman]

I didn't and I have the exact same sink and my temps are quite low.

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I probably am) but how do you lap a solid copper sink. I thought lapping was for the ceramic coatings on chips..?

 

[Darkmatterx]

Yes you can lap the HS. I've never heard of lapping the actual chip. Cleaning it off, but not sanding it down. lol

I'm pretty sure this would be a good way of destroying the chip

 

[Darkmatterx]

nobody an expert on HSs who can answer this?

 

[Crashman]

Results from lapping will depend on how bad the original surface is. 150 is too course. Buy a multi-pack of sandpaper for paint finishing. You don't need to polish it, so I'd skip on the 1500 grit stuff. You'd probably do best to start with 220 and work your way up to 600.

Of course every little bit helps, so if you'd like to go to all the work of polishing it, go all the way up to 1500!

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[HardWareBoss]

Need any 2000?

 

[Crashman]

No, in Auto Body I went straight to rubbing compound after 1500.

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<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[HardWareBoss]

Light or heavy?

 

[Crashman]

Whatever they had in the shop...probably light, because the buffing wheel did most of the work and they didn't want us to rub through the paint.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[HardWareBoss]

You do not want to do that.

 

[pIII_Man]

1500 works well for me too...i get autobody stuff too.

I must point out that it is VERY important to lap your heatsink on a flat surface (i use a stone counter-top). Also turn the heatsink 90 degrees every once and a while so that you can keep it as even as possible. And finally once you get to very high grits such as 1000-2000 grit make sure you periodically clean any Cu/Al shavings from the sand paper so they do not scratch the heatsink while you are sanding.


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[shadus]

Generally before you lap something look at it very carefully, if you can't SEE any problems TRY the heatsink. If the performance doesn't seem on par, try lapping it and make sure you apply the thermal compound correctly (very very thin layer.) Most heatsinks I've had didn't require lapping and excluding the ones that were visibilly not flat I've never noticed more than a degree difference between a lapped heat sink and non-lapped, but ymmv depending on brands and types.

Shadus