Lapping an Ultra 120 Extreme, ut oh! Help needed.

[fire]

I just got my extreme, and I started to lap it. Started at 400 grit, worked for a few minutes, and started noticing the silver material (whatever the base is) turn copperish. I'm confused!

Is there a copper layer underneath that should be lapped until it comes out? If so, how long does it take with say 240 grit?

[BenchZowner]

The base is made of copper and then nickel plated ( the silver thing outside ).
You have to get all the 'silver' off, and then lap the copper underneath

[fire]

Lord, this is tiring. Should have got some more sandpaper.

Guess I'm on the right track then. if I read correctly, there's no point to lap beyond 600 right?

[crossg]

Lord, this is tiring. Should have got some more sandpaper.

Guess I'm on the right track then. if I read correctly, there's no point to lap beyond 600 right?

Yeah it's a real pain in the a$$ but worth it IMO. I actually went to 1200 grit from 600 for a final finish but I do not believe it was necessary. Some picks of mine. Unlapped, Start, progress and final.

[fire]

Thanks for the pics! Not sure if I'm going to do the processor...I'm running out of sandpaper real fast.

Arm's getting tired, too! Oy vey.

[Speederlander]

Thanks for the pics! Not sure if I'm going to do the processor...I'm running out of sandpaper real fast.

Arm's getting tired, too! Oy vey.

If you don't do the processor you might not even see any benefit from the time spent lapping the heatsink.

[zhangmaster12]

how do you keep the HS straight, its very awkward to hold?

[bassie]

If you don't do the processor you might not even see any benefit from the time spent lapping the heatsink.

If his cpu is flat he doesn't have to lap it.
Lapping is used to make something flat. If your hs is hollow you need more tim to make an connection between it and your cpu. More tim gives higher temps. But is both surfaces are flat is it isn't needed.

[BNDMOD]

here is my TR ultra 120 eXtreme lapped





320 to 1500
320>500>700>2 x 1000>2 x 1200>2 x 1500

[[cTx] Nooc]

my TT 120 X lapped:



after 1200 grit:

[Origin_Unknown]

this is something that i really want to do but ive never gotten round to it.

[bassie]

how do you keep the HS straight, its very awkward to hold?

+1 want to know to. How do you keep your hs straight?

[Jodiuh]

how do you keep the HS straight, its very awkward to hold?

I just went very slow. If you go to fast, it'll skip and you'll wind up w/ a not flat HS! Tho I sure wish I could take it off and hold it like a chip.

[fire]

+1 want to know to. How do you keep your hs straight?

For me, I could get 3 fingers through the hole between the top of the heatsink and where the fins start. I used my thumb to steady it on the other side, and that gave me a pretty good grip.

As the other person said, go real slow. Actually turned out pretty good. My nice new 120 doesn't get my P4 3.2 over 35C, overclocked to 4ghz right now.

[Exedy]

is possible a mirror finish with 400,600,800 and 1000?

after a long time "rubbing" of corse

[bassie]

Thanks for the advise Jodiun&fire Is it possible to do it the other way arround? Instead of rubbing the hs over the sandpaper, but rubbing the sandpaper over the hs. Ofcourse you need to stick the sandpaper to a piece of glas first, otherwise you'll end up with a surface as concave as f. But i think that would be a lot easier.

[uwackme]

You could take a couple 3x3" peices of glass, emory cloth the edges/corners to make them safe to work with. Glue them together for a nice strong base, then glue the sand paper to it. Make a wooden/metal holder for the sink, have it use the AM2 clip, and 4 screws. Bolt it upside down to a metal plate with a hole in the middle for the sink surface to poke through just enough o you can work on it.

Or you could hold it in a vice CAREFULLY, use two pieces of wood, with foam on one side, so the fins dont get crushed or bent. Then gently move the glass-sanding block across the surface.

You want it face UP to make wetsanding easy.

Ill jump in as soon as mine arrives later in the week. I want that 3.5Ghz point 100% stable.