yess..... that is absolutly coreect, but if u have a mirror finiush is also sometimes related to your lapping, if its very very flat and u used a high grit sandpper, u will get mirror no matter wat u do.

Newbie here, but how do you polish the base using AS5? Just apply AS5 then uh..wipe it?

Haiz, I'm still waiting for my AS5 (not to mention 800 and 1500 sandpaper) before I can start .

yeah.. hard to find >600 sandpaper. Where can I find it in Klang Valley? Prefebably near Subang or Ampang

u dont polish using AS5 ler. thats just for the heat transfer.

detailed instructions on how to properly use the AS5 can be found at their website... articsilver.com

I know how to use a AS5, but just puzzled when I heard about polishing AS5 on the base =/

Can't wait to lap my XP120, just hoping I don't break any of the processor pins while removing my heatsink.

Wao.. then one polish need RM20 +..
Maybe can use back the As5 after polish the HS base..

no no...wat i mean is if u polish with as5, u can realy realy fill the micro gaps in the base...

Lapping Guide -By lolhalol

Ok here we go. Lapping, lapping, lapping, I know you would have heard about lapping from somewhere and wondered what it was. Well lapping is processes of sanding something to make it more flat. In our case, the bases of our heat sinks (or processors) to have improved contact with the processor or vice versa to further improve the thermal transfer between the heat sink and the processor or vice versa. The more contact both have, the better cooling is achieved. Nothing is flat, and lapping is one of the solutions we have to achieve better results. However, lapping doesn't fully make everything better. That's where thermal compounds come into play. They will fill in the microscopic valleys of the two metals. By lapping you are
reducing the size of the microscopic valleys thus making the thermal compound and metals work more efficiently. Lapping works and every heat sink you lap will give you experience to know just how flat those heat sinks really are.

Ok here is what you need:-
1) 800Grit Sandpaper, you can use any brand.
2) 1500Grit sandpaper, you can use any brand.
3) A piece of glass or mirror ( make sure its big enough for your sandpaper )
4) A rag/old cloth or a tack cloth
5) Arctic Silver 5
6) A glass of water
7) A roll of masking tape or any kind of tape
8) And obviously your heat sink or whatever you want to lap, in my case my Swiftech Storm G4 Rev.2.

This was the Storm before it was lapped.


As you can see it was already pretty flat to begin with, look at the TIM spread out so well. I know, many of you guys will be like, don't lap a Swiftech block, you will only, make it worse. Well to tell u the truth, when I got it, and after I lapped it, I had a 1 degree drop, so I don't really care what you say. Of course you might have a different result. Ok enough bickering, let's move on.

Step 1: Take your piece of glass and lay it on some old newspapers or a magazine so that its lifted off the table or your workbench, this is so that you can easily move the glass or flip it over later.


Step 2: Take the 800grit sandpaper and lay it out on the glass. Then tape it onto the glass using the roll of masking tape.


Step 3: Take your 1500grit sandpaper and lay it out onto the other side of the glass using the same way as step 2.


Step 4: Pour a small amount of water onto the 800grit sandpaper side of the glass.


Step 5: Disassemble your heat sink, all fans, led's, anything that can be removed please do so now. In my case, I remove four bolts to get the cooper base out.



Step 6: Put your heat sink into the water that's on your sandpaper.


Step 7: Grab hold of your heat sink/block and with even pressure, move it around in any way that is easier for you, figure 8, up-down, left-right, all is ok, and you can even mix the movement. You would know when to stop when you don't feel resistance (resistance from both directions left-right, up-down). Use your own judgment for this. The following picture is after 800grit.


This post has been edited by lolhalol: Jan 26 2007, 06:21 PM

Step 8: Pour a small amount of water onto the 1500 grit side of the glass.


Step 9: Repeat steps 6 and 7. And the following picture is after 1500 grit.


Step 10: Now this step if you don't want to do you can skip, but this is for those who have extra Arctic Silver 5 lying around. Ok, first put a small blob of Arctic Silver 5 onto the centre of the base. If you haven't figured it out yet, we will be using Arctic Silver 5 as a rubbing/polishing compound. You won't get a mirror finish but this enables you to really fill out the micro gaps. Take your cloth and really rub the Arctic Silver 5 into the base, you will notice that the cloth "sucks" up the Arctic Silver 5, so try your best to rub as much of the Arctic Silver 5 on the cloth onto the base.



Here is the base after I "polished" with Arctic Silver 5.


Step 11: Now install everything you took out from your heat sink/water block, and install it back into your case. Apply your preferred TIM, like mine is Arctic Silver 5. (For users of Arctic Silver 5, look to the end of the guide for "Instructions for Arctic Silver 5" sourced from the manufacturer's website. You should see a 1~5 degree Celsius drop from your old temperatures. Oh and of course clean up after you're self, or else the missus or the girlfriend will be after you. (Highlight in red) You STILL HAVE TO APPLY TIM to your heat sink/water block.

Notes:

Having a mirror finish is not what we are after, look for "techpowerup lapping article" article at the end of the guide, but having a mirror finish sometimes comes naturally if you lap with 2000grit sandpaper, but I have had no real improvements by lapping with 2000grit.

If you touch the heat sink and it feels warm, you know that the heat sink is making a difference. The heat sink and the thermal pad/compound is absorbing the heat and dissipating it away. If I used a bigger heat sink the area of dissipated heat would become greater because you have a bigger surface area to move away heat. Lapping works, there is no reason why it wouldn't. Lapping is a bit tiring but is well worth the effort to get every last ounce of performance and cooling off your product.

Link to techpowerup lapping article, scroll down to the " Do i want a miror Finish" if you don't want to read the whole article.
Click Here


Attachment for the as5 installation.  Arctic_SIlve_Isntallation.pdf ( 109.65k ) Number of downloads: 9


Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any damages that resulted from following this guide directly or indirectly.

P/s sorry for the crappy photos, will post high res ones if requested.

This post has been edited by lolhalol: Jan 26 2007, 06:23 PM

good nice guide there. maybe other people cou;d contribute their self lapped pictures here?

ouch.. I actually soaked my the whole sandpaper over and over and over again last weekend no wonder i only got like 1c improvement! NOt to mention that the heatsink still look hideous after. nothing near to your pic.

Now feel like lapping again following this guide. Just scared that it would make my heatsink too thin. Could it be possible?

Anyway, thanks for the terrific guide. Quality.

Thanks for sharing hope this thread will become sticky soon. Nice really nice !!

This post has been edited by yehlai: Jan 25 2007, 08:03 PM

http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/403943

lapping guide posted.... check it out..thx

lol....where do u read from? polishing with AS5????
i didnt know if it really improved or not compare with normal metal polishing.
coz in my mind is that if u wanna filled up the micro gaps in the heatsink base, when u apply AS5 and the pressure from HSF clip pressing the HSF to the proc, the AS5 already automatically filled up the micro gaps.
Thats what i heard from AS5 website, i didnt that if they got recommend on polishing using AS5...

yup,will try mine soon,big typhoon vx,will post up soon too....now exam week,no time to play anymore,haha....

hhmm, i dont think i can do that as it is rather crowded there.
maybe we could merge this with another thread.

Sui la! This saturday will try your steps , just in time for my first-time lapping session

well its up to you, but i would, coz some gaps are too deep to fill so i rub it in ... optianal thing though.

thx for all the comments, anyway darkskyhe no need to sticky this lah, jus bump it down when no one posts in here lah....

lol yala gud la ur own guide .. nonit sticky if sticker unfair to other laaping guide from http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...3027&hl=lapping

This post has been edited by taxidoor: Jan 26 2007, 12:03 AM