Guide: lapping your HS/F

This lapping guide is incorrect, and thare are many diffrent ways that it can be done, but the people here at XS believe that this is not the right way. I hearby do not reccommend folowing this lapping guide. If you wish to follow it, you may not have as good of results from lapping it on a flat surface, such as glass

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So you’re looking to shave off a few degrees, and have a good cooler already, but do not want to spend more money on a bigger cooler, than you should lap your HS/F.


Most coolers say they are lapped from the factory, but if they are lapped, they are most likely not lapped well. I have seen a few coolers and waterblocks that are an exception.




Anyway, I am going to lap a HS/F for fewer than 7 dollars using a few household items and a few things that you can pick up at a local hardware store.

What you will need


Sandpaper:
600 grit 1.00
800 grit 1.00
1000 grit 1.00
1500 grit 1.00
2000 grit 1.00


Things you need from around the house

Dish Soap
Paper towels
and the soft drink of your choice




Ok,

To get started you need to take your HS/F and take the fan off of it
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/315...34large1zr.jpg

Next you need to take and fill a cup with water

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/348...35large1ik.jpg

After this, you need to dip the sandpaper in water. You should start off with 600 grit. Take and add a tiny bit of soap on the sandpaper. Start to lightly and gently sand the HS/F surface down. Do not go in one direction. You need to go ahead and sand in all different directions.

After this, repeat the process with a higher grit of sandpaper. Keep on doing this up to 2000 grit. When you are working with the 2000 grit, you should take about 15 minutes, and go against the groove of the HS/F. You will need to go ahead and sand it till it becomes somewhat mirror like, enough to where you can see your nose somewhat. You do not want it to be 100% mirror like. This is a rumor. Just because it is mirror like, does not mean that it is smoother.




Your HS/F should look like this when done.

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/832...49large2tx.jpg

Now you need to wash off your HS/F in water. Wash all of the dirt off that got on it from the lapping.

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/8...68large5an.jpg

After it dries wipe the HS/F off with alcohol, and it should look like this


http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/9...60large8em.jpg
http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/3...59large5qo.jpg

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most ppl suggest using glass as a flat surface and taping ur sandpaper against it to maintin the flatness in ur CPU for best contact.... honestly i dont think sanding at a light pace will loose the flatness....

another thing im not sure u need the dish washing soap.

and for those who didnt get the soda of ur choice, this will be a long experiment, i am thinkin of lapping my 64 freezer pro since i just got it and i dont have to go throw the hassle of cleaning it twice but i dont know yet will see.(its still in the box)


Nomad.

i disagree, use your hand, nad do it by hand

dish soap helps it not get deep scratched by the particles that are taken off,


and last, take your time and do it the right way, the glass way is a fast and incorrect way

Thank you 2gigs, I greatly appreciate this, have bookmarked it and will surely keep it for when I am going to try my first lap. Again, thanks.

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Originally Posted by nomad3700

most ppl suggest using glass as a flat surface and taping ur sandpaper against it to maintin the flatness in ur CPU for best contact.... honestly i dont think sanding at a light pace will loose the flatness....

another thing im not sure u need the dish washing soap.

and for those who didnt get the soda of ur choice, this will be a long experiment, i am thinkin of lapping my 64 freezer pro since i just got it and i dont have to go throw the hassle of cleaning it twice but i dont know yet will see.(its still in the box)


Nomad.

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After lapping mine up to 1600 grit only using water, the "mirrorlike" finish wasn't nearly as swirly as yours. Before I started lapping i colored the bottom of the hsf with a black permanent marker, to insure even lapping as the process wore on. I used the wet sandpaper (water only) on glass with firm pressure and rinsing often (like everyother pass). IMO it produced a better finish than in your pics of doing it by hand. I will apologize early because like most all pics posted to the forum. It most likely looks way better in person than in the pic. :)

Are XP-90s known to gain from a lapping?

yes,


also, the look of the finish does not matter


when will you guys learm

600-grit finish provides best results...........already tested so no need for mirror finishes

acutally the higer smoothness makes a bit of a result

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Originally Posted by 2gigs

yes,


also, the look of the finish does not matter


when will you guys learm

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I think he knows the look means nothing. If you lap with your hand how do u get a flat surface, which is the whole point.

Using glass or something else that is known to be very flat is the only way to go.

nope Cathar's done all the testing.......he was surprised himself but 600-grit finish definately gave the best results....by 0.5C consistently :cool: so go figure

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Originally Posted by Delirious

I think he knows the look means nothing. If you lap with your hand how do u get a flat surface, which is the whole point.

Using glass or something else that is known to be very flat is the only way to go.

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you will, its just you cant just go ahead and lap in one place, lap evenly. When you lap that way, it tends to cause problems. It does not come out as smooth.

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Originally Posted by dinos22

nope Cathar's done all the testing.......he was surprised himself but 600-grit finish definately gave the best results....by 0.5C consistently :cool: so go figure

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thares also the variable ikn the seating time of the thermal paste

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Originally Posted by 2gigs

thares also the variable ikn the seating time of the thermal paste

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Cathar would certainly take it all into consideration.....you do know who he is right?

No clue

But, thares all diffrent variables also, that cant be controlled

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Originally Posted by 2gigs

yes,


also, the look of the finish does not matter


when will you guys learm

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:lol:
:stick:

what its true

I think you left something out of your guide, :) what's the soft drink for? Did I miss this step somewhere?

you dont get it, when you see it thare, you will drink it

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Originally Posted by 2gigs

you will, its just you cant just go ahead and lap in one place, lap evenly. When you lap that way, it tends to cause problems. It does not come out as smooth.

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there is no way in :banana: you can lap anything and get good flatness just using your hand.

yeah you can

god, why are you so stubborn. Glass=flat, hand= not flat. In order for the sink to be perfectly flat while lapping with your hand you'd have to apply the same pressure the whole time, you can't control that, you have to go over every spot the same number of times while using the same amount of pressure, you can't do that.

I recently did my big typhoon. I was a little disappointed with the big typhoon because it only dropped my temps about 1-2 degrees from the xp-90 I was using. I don't think I spent more than a half hour on it. Used a sanding block with 400, then went to 600. Didn't end up with the mirror finish, but it definitely felt and looked smoother, and my temps dropped another 3-4 degrees. In a fully closed case with temp around 25-26, idle is 29-30 and load is 43-44. I didn't think that lapping would make that much difference, but the big typhoon has a pretty poor surface.

" the base plate is made of C110 copper lapped to +/- 0.0003" flatness"

Quote from swiftechs website about the storm.

Id like to see someone do that with thier hand.:stick:

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Originally Posted by 2gigs

yeah you can

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Originally Posted by 4X4N

I recently did my big typhoon. I was a little disappointed with the big typhoon because it only dropped my temps about 1-2 degrees from the xp-90 I was using. I don't think I spent more than a half hour on it. Used a sanding block with 400, then went to 600. Didn't end up with the mirror finish, but it definitely felt and looked smoother, and my temps dropped another 3-4 degrees. In a fully closed case with temp around 25-26, idle is 29-30 and load is 43-44. I didn't think that lapping would make that much difference, but the big typhoon has a pretty poor surface.

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What else you expect with air cooling.

LOL!!!

dude, this is the WORST lapping guide ever. i wouldnt be suprised to see temperatures increase if someone followed your guide. thick glass is the only way to go.

unless you can show me how to make your hand flatter than glass. noob.:slap:

damn, you guys are real, real harsh. 2gigs wasn't even going to do a guide but did so cause myself, biohead etc asked him if he would be so kind to take a few mins and do one. If you guys don't like it, don't follow it but don't push him down into the mud over and over again. I appreciate what he has done and I hope others do too. I really like this site but sometimes the stuck up elitest attitude of most members is totally uncalled for. There are a million things people say on here that I don't agree with but I respect their opinions as people and let it go, maybe you guys should start doing the same.

It's not so much that the people are stuck up, as it is that they are trying to give him advise on how to correct things in his guide, and he refuses to take that advise.

People here don't have much patience for people that do things wrong but are bullheaded on "doing it their way"

Nothing except swifty stuff touches my HW unlapped :fact:

If you can find a piece of leftover granite countertop - GOOD stuff.
I found a couple of pieces in an alley when I was walking home :D
Find somewhere that makes them and ask for their 'leftovers'.

Get some 220 and 400 grit also since you never know how bad the surface is to start, had some REAL bad thermalrights over the years.

My way is to start w/ 400, then if I find spots are NOT getting sanded and they are LARGE, 220 to the RESCUE :cheer2:. Once you are flat, you can move up rather quickly since copper or AL is relatively soft.

Soap - No you don't NEED it, but it helps IMMENSELY, by keeping stuff in suspension when sanding so that it doesn't clog up the paper.

1 tiny drop is more than you need :D

I use ceramique in a solvent (alcohol, etc) and a paper towel for a final finish (smooooottthhhhh)

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Originally Posted by nomad3700

another thing im not sure u need the dish washing soap.

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Jeez, fellas! Take it easy on the poor guy. While I don't necessarily agree with everything in his guide, 2gigs took the time to do this because he was asked. Give him a little respect.

On the other hand, 2gigs should expect to see some critical responses and be objective about suggestions to make the guide better.

JM2C

sorry, but when its a guide that in all reality will probably cause worse perfomance, im not to gratefull. especially when he wont take advice from consesus, and experience.

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Originally Posted by WeStSiDePLaYa

LOL!!!

dude, this is the WORST lapping guide ever. i wouldnt be suprised to see temperatures increase if someone followed your guide. thick glass is the only way to go.

unless you can show me how to make your hand flatter than glass. noob.:slap:

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Originally Posted by Dictionary

Lap

5 a : to dress, smooth, or polish (as a metal surface) to a high degree of refinement or accuracy b : to shape or fit by working two surfaces together with or without abrasives until a very close fit is produced

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Obviously there is some misconception in what we are aiming for in lapping.

Most people take 5a as the general definition of lapping.

However, the better way is 5b. In fact, if you could, lapping your CPU's IHS against the heatsink would produce the best result.

The method with glass is a little bit of both, and probably the best way. In fact, anything that has a flat surface (And that you can work back and forth fairly easily, such as a piece of relatively flat wood or plastic) will work fine. Granite and glass are great suggestions.

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Originally Posted by WeStSiDePLaYa

LOL!!!

dude, this is the WORST lapping guide ever. i wouldnt be suprised to see temperatures increase if someone followed your guide. thick glass is the only way to go.

unless you can show me how to make your hand flatter than glass. noob.:slap:

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there's no need for this dude

This is my personal opinion, but I will trust cathar when it comes to lapping:

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Originally Posted by Cathar

Well in the hunt for the best die-baseplate thermal "connection" with my waterblock research, I've found the "best" method that I've been able to achieve, and it falls in line with what's accepted and been tried elsewhere. However, me knowing me, I don't believe stuff until I try it for myself.

Basically I've lapped bases with:

150 grit
220 grit
320 grit
600 grit
800 grit
1000 grit
1200 grit
1500 grit
brasso + strong cloth
toothpaste + cloth
fine-cut cleanser
jeweller's rouge

All in incremental steps, to varying degrees of finish from rough, to a copper finish you can shave in.

So what's worked out the best?

Go to Bunnings. Grab a small board of 12mm thick MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard). It's flat as glass and a whole lot cheaper. Should cost about $5. Pick up 1 sheet each 150grit, 320grit, and 600 grit wet'n'dry sandpaper (black colored).

Take your heatsink, and lightly scribble over the base with a black permanent marker. Color the whole base in if you want.

Stick your 150 grit paper onto the MDF.

Take your heatsink/waterblock and scrub lengthways (if the block has a longer length in one direction - otherwise just pick). Move the block up and down the sandpaper while pushing down firmly. Do not move in a circular motion, just straight up and down. You'll need 3 hands. One to hold the block, and two to hold the edges of the sandpaper down so it doesn't "grab" and fold and rip. If nature didn't supply you with 3 hands, sitting on the floor and using a foot works just as well. Keep scrubbing until you can't see ANY of the ink/black. I periodically look at the base to see how it's going, this is how I can tell if a block is initially convex, concave, or whatever. This can take anything from 1 minute to 30 minutes (or more) depending on how flat the base is to start with.

Once the ink is gone, use the 320grit and scrub cross-ways. This time keep doing it until all the cross-lines left by the 150 grit sand-paper are ground away. Just move the block straight up an down - no round motion. This should take about 3-5 minutes.

Then use the 600 grit sandpaper and moving straight up and down lengthways sand the base until the 320-grit cross-ways lines are gone (another 3-5 minutes).

Finally follow up with a circular grind of the base on the 600-grit sandpaper for about 30 seconds. Wipe clean. This should leave the base with a dull reflective surface.

You're done!

Like I said, I've tried anything from 150-grit up to a mirror polish, but the dull 600-grit finish works out the best. Surprisingly, a 220-grit finish, and a mirror finish give about the same results (at least for me), while the dull 600-grit finish gave me about 0.5C better than either of those two for a ~100W CPU load.

I know that the above has been said here before a few times, so consider this as a re-affirmation of the procedure.

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i think the glass thing is prolly the biggest oddity on the guide to use hands instead of glass... i think the glass thing is quite improtant, because flatness is teh KEY...

Another thing THAT you can do is to lap your IHS and HS to the same level of flatness by using the same procedure on each and thus maximize flatness/contact points.

BUT alll this really goes to waste if you dont get the perfect amount of thermal paste onto it, because huge amounts of thermal paste will basically kill this contact effectiveness. A lot of things are at play here.

LAPPING is not for people who dont understand the concept behind it..... (not aimed at 2gigs, just in general for other ppl). IF you really really want a good lap do some research on how other ppl do it, whats the best method and onwards from there.


Nomad.

Now that is what i would call an excellent guide.

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Originally Posted by moddolicous

This is my personal opinion, but I will trust cathar when it comes to lapping:

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People look at the reflectiveness of a heatsink and think that because its like a mirror its flat. All that means is that the bottom was polished so smooth its basically a mirror. Thats not to say a heatsink cant be really flat and a mirror.

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Originally Posted by nomad3700

i think the glass thing is prolly the biggest oddity on the guide to use hands instead of glass... i think the glass thing is quite improtant, because flatness is teh KEY...

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that is the whole reason he is recieving critisism.

as using a perfectly flat surface is the whole reason it reduces temps.

if your gonna use your hands, you might as well lap your block with a slice of bread.:slap:

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Originally Posted by moddolicous

This is my personal opinion, but I will trust cathar when it comes to lapping:

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yeap that's what i was referring to :)

Yea, I had a tough time finding it. I knew I had it quoted somewhere, just couldnt find it, but eventually with a little work I found it.

i did mine in a similar way....3 hands and all hehehehe.......i continued with 1200-grit as the heatsink was also going on an IHS-less Opteron.....

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Originally Posted by dinos22

I lapped the base with 180, 360, 600, 1200 grit paper on granite kitchen bench...

i wasn't after perfection as you can see but something that will get rid of the major grooves that's all.....looks better now

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8987/dsc022070ad.jpghttp://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1572/dsc022089zf.jpg

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/5639/dsc022107mm.jpghttp://img108.imageshack.us/img108/5625/dsc022110aj.jpg

http://img316.imageshack.us/img316/2235/dsc022121mi.jpghttp://img316.imageshack.us/img316/6451/dsc022132qh.jpg

http://img316.imageshack.us/img316/7300/dsc022156vt.jpghttp://img316.imageshack.us/img316/3016/dsc022164pv.jpg

http://img316.imageshack.us/img316/50/dsc022226ee.jpghttp://img316.imageshack.us/img316/7028/dsc022279nm.jpg

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dino, that finish looks a bit concave from the last 3 pics.

did you lap enough from begining with low grit?

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Originally Posted by WeStSiDePLaYa

dino, that finish looks a bit concave from the last 3 pics.

did you lap enough from begining with low grit?

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LOL!

Its kinda hard to tell from the picture, its probably just the lens on camera distorting things slightly.

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Originally Posted by WeStSiDePLaYa

dino, that finish looks a bit concave from the last 3 pics.

did you lap enough from begining with low grit?

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could be concave don't know.....it's flippin' hard doing it properly as some of you probably know


anyways the whole idea for me was to have a flat IHS in the middle to cover the core properly and make sure temps are good..................check out the load temps on this sucker with Opteron 146 overclocked to 3.1GHz @ 1.63v

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Originally Posted by dinos22

great load temps.........i was priming at 3GHz 1.42v and temps were at 31-32C

2.9GHz SuperPI load temps
http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/9...adtemps8iw.jpg


3GHz prime...load temps around 32-33C
http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/4...psresize4c.jpg



this is the best CPU i've owned

12 Hour Prime Stable at 3.1GHz :eek:


i was wondering whether the temps were out but having just used a thermal probe it seems they are OK :drool:

the HSF is not even warm when i touch it .................unlike my dual core.....when i prime my dual core at 2.6Ghz 1.44v it's hot as

just pulled out my temp probe...........
Coldest Ambient temp measured: 23.3C
Temp probe on side of heatsink: 30.5-31.2C
Temp probe on top of heatsink where the heatpipes going in: 32.1-32.7C
Temp probe on the base of heatsink...slid it towards the CPU: 33.7-33.9C
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/2...12hours4hu.jpg

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never use brasso, good way to :banana::banana::banana::banana: stuff up, like your ihs

i personally dont use any form of polishing compound, i only use wet/dry auto body finish sandpaper, bottled water, and a sheet of glass.

heres results i have gotten, used upto 1500grit paper.

notice how the edges of the block are still crisp and sharp, and not rounded off. and the scratch in the top left from dropping it :(:slapass:

i also prefer the circular motion, and switch up between clockwise and counterclockwise, my thing against a straight back and forth motion is, that if there is any little air bubbles under the sand paper, constant back and forth on the same area of that raised paper, will eat a valley into the block.

kinda like if you drip water all over a brick, it will eat away at it more uniformly, but if you kept dripping water in same spot, it will eventually eat a hole into it.

This is a nice lapping guide I come across the other dayhttp://www.bigbruin.com/reviews/lapp...dex.php?file=1

is the flatness and not the mirror finish the most important thing? Cathar mentions that his best results after multiple trials was with 600 grit as the end paper used. i can only get 600 here where i live as far as i've looked and used that to good effect on my zalman(don't laugh) and got decent results from that sad little cooler.

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Originally Posted by omga14

is the flatness and not the mirror finish the most important thing? Cathar mentions that his best results after multiple trials was with 600 grit as the end paper used. i can only get 600 here where i live as far as i've looked and used that to good effect on my zalman(don't laugh) and got decent results from that sad little cooler.

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yes, flatness is KEY.:toast:

nice :banana:

I've been wondering about this:

Would it be a reasonable thought to lap and additionally grease the parts of heatpipes that connect to other parts of the cooling solution?

Well, must've been a stupid question :)

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Originally Posted by SKiNNiEH

Well, must've been a stupid question :)

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they're soldered.

Ofcourse it must differ per product, but i thought a lot of heatpipes were held in place by tightening? I also notice on this VF900 i've got here that the heatpipe is threaded through the fins, but i'm thinking some grease might help connect the two and transfer heat quicker.

The question was also more related to better heat transfer capacity than to practicality in setting it up.