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View Full Version : Make your own shim!



STEvil
05-30-2004, 11:48 PM
While in the process of frying my 9700np tonight I thought up a way to build a shim should you need one for your FC-PGA video card or CPU. This was after frying my GPU, of course...

Tools that will be needed:

- Glue Gun
- Glue gun glue
- Lots of thermal interface material, greasegun grease, wheelbearing grease, or vaseline. Your pick.
- Item that needs a shim
-- Motherboard if this happens to be a CPU/northbridge.

If you can, get glue that stays soft for a longer period of time than the normal stuff... this will give you more work time and help keep mistakes from happening

How to build the shim:

Remove the heatsink from the item that you would like to put a shim around.

Apply a generous coating of thermal interface material/grease/vaseline to the heatsink that was attached to the item. This will keep the glue from sticking to it.

Apply glue around the GPU/CPU/etc core, or dabs in each corner. Make sure to use enough that it will press against the heatsink.

Quickly and carefully install the heatsink on top of the core before the glue has time to harden so it will flatten out easily. The faster you do this the better... it will keep from having to do it over multiple times anyways.

Give the glue 2-5 minutes to cool and harden, after which you may remove the heatsink and clean all excess TIM/grease/vaseline and test contact to be sure it is correct. If it is not you should be able to remove the glue easy enough to retry the procedure.


Now, a caution: The glue will have some amount of flex to it, so this is not perfect, but it is at least as good or better than the stock shims that do or do not come with many items and will help protect your hardware in the long run!

:toast: :toast:

Evil_Spork
05-30-2004, 11:52 PM
sounds good. i was gunna do that sorta thing with my 9800p but decided i didnt need to cuz the bolts were solid.

Bra!nFreeZe^
05-31-2004, 01:07 AM
Verny nice idea! :) thumbs up

WildKard
05-31-2004, 10:41 PM
HRmm, hotglue shims and zip tie mounting rods! You have the be the most creative mounting wizard on the Xtremes forums! :)

STEvil
05-31-2004, 11:01 PM
no no, dont use superglue.. thats really hard to remove.. trust me ;)

hot glue is where its at.

WildKard
05-31-2004, 11:51 PM
I know what I meant :O trying to think and type at 4am has its difficulties I fixed it!

phobos
07-09-2004, 10:47 AM
In my Athlon XP times I build my shims with epoxy plasticine.

After cracking a core with my vapochill I came to that idea.
This stuff is normally used to repair cast iron parts or threads. But it is perfect to make your own shim!

But make sure to apply enough pressure to the heatsink so that there remains no gap between the core and the heatsink!
Use thermal grease and check for a proper imprint. Otherwise remove the epoxy stuff and try it again.

kommando
07-15-2004, 01:27 AM
What are the chances of screwing it up?

phobos
07-15-2004, 08:43 AM
What are the chances of screwing it up?

Of screwing what up? The Athlon?

If you are careful when mounting the heatsink the chances are minimal. Only the first generation socket vapochills were a little bit tricky to mount on an athlon.

Gothic
08-12-2004, 11:18 AM
humm wont the Athlon XP DIE Heat soften the glue again?

STEvil
08-12-2004, 04:30 PM
If you're getting that hot you should change your cooling... not to mention your contact is likely crap, too ;)

Gothic
08-13-2004, 03:59 AM
well, i'm runing like 36ÂșC... is that hot enough to melt the glue?

STEvil
08-13-2004, 11:05 AM
need around 50c to melt or soften the glue.