Help me safely lap a scuffed Scythe Ninja hsf

mshan · Post by **mshan** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:21 pm

I recently bought a 2 week old Scythe Ninja HSF and it arrived with several scuffs on it's copper interface:

I think it got damaged in transit because the seller left one of the mobo brackets resting against this surface and I think it rubbed against it in transit, producing those three linear scratches in the top of the photo above.

I'm thinking of getting this lapping kit from SVC.com ( http://www.svc.com/lapkit-p.html ) to eliminate those scratches.

I've never lapped a hsf before, so what should I know in terms of things to avoid and hints to do it right? e. g. how securely do those Ninja brackets clamp the hsf to the mobo (I'm using socket 939) and is it possible to sand off too much, leaving a gap that can only be filled with excess application of Artic Silver Ceramique?

Also, is it safe to rinse the hsf under running water and then let it completely dry out for several days to make sure there are no metal filing that could short out a mobo?

psiu · Post by **psiu** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:33 pm

I don't know anything about the lapping, but a good swishing of water and a few hours to dry would be fine--it's metal, not a sponge

Blow some compressed air through for kicks afterwards and wipe it with some 99% isopropyl alcohol.

Mr Evil · Post by **Mr Evil** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:21 pm

I'm sure that kit is usable, but going all the way to 2500 grit is way beyond the point of diminishing returns. You'd be lucky to measure any difference in temperature past 800, let alone a worthwhile one.

mshan · Post by **mshan** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:35 pm

Could I damage the hsf with overzealous use of the 220 grit stuff (e.g. remove enough copper that the heat sink doesn't press against the hsf like Scythe intended?)

dfrost · Post by **dfrost** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:19 am

It is possible to create a convex surface if you hold the heatsink by the 'top,' which allows the tower to tip as you're sliding it over the sandpaper. I'd suggest holding it as close to the bottom as possible by sticking your hand through below the fins.

Make sure that you keep the sandpaper wet, and rinse HS and sandpaper frequently.

Post by **CA_Steve** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 4:44 am

...and the sandpaper is placed on an ultraflat surface. I used the glass out of a picture frame.

nikkai · Post by **nikkai** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:38 am

Click for instructions

There are several guides on the net. The above is an example.[/url]

Kaleid · Post by **Kaleid** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:54 am

Here's another:
http://www.modsynergy.com/article6.htm

alleycat · Post by **alleycat** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:27 am

Seriously, I wouldn't worry about it. Unless the scratches have produced ridges that prevent the HS from sitting properly on the CPU, I doubt that they would make any noticeable difference. I suggest you try using the HS as it is, and if you aren't happy with the results you can reassess the situation.

I've done lapping before and doubt that it helped much. It's probably more important just to get the HS mounted properly with the right amount of paste. It would be a pain in the arse to lap that Ninja, and you wouldn't want to get it wrong.

vanhelmont · Post by **vanhelmont** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:55 am

I agree. The scratch area is so small it won't matter, unless they are deep scratches with raised ridges at their sides.

If they really worry you, I would say get a sheet of 400 or maybe even 600 wet or dry sandpaper, put it on a smooth surface, like glass, hold the heat sink near the bottom so it stays straight, use some water and moderate force, and you don't need to make the scratches disappear, just get rid of any ridges at the side. Less is more.