Removing Tuniq Plate to Lap?

[jriker1]

I have a Tunic Tower 120 heat sync and am looking to lap it. I noticed the copper plate on the bottom that touches the processor is held in by four screws. Rather than trying to hold this beast while running the base over sandpaper, couldn't the four screws be removed and the copper plate lapped separate from the main unit?

I know that when lapping you are supposed to rely on the weight of the unit to sand things down, however slight pressure with it removed I would think would be similar. I work extensively on auto painting so am overly comfortable wet sanding painted surfaces so this should be no big deal.

Has anyone removed the four copper plate screws from the Tunic? Is this a good idea?

Thanks.

JR

 

[ArchAngel777]

Originally posted by: jriker1
I have a Tunic Tower 120 heat sync and am looking to lap it. I noticed the copper plate on the bottom that touches the processor is held in by four screws. Rather than trying to hold this beast while running the base over sandpaper, couldn't the four screws be removed and the copper plate lapped separate from the main unit?

I know that when lapping you are supposed to rely on the weight of the unit to sand things down, however slight pressure with it removed I would think would be similar. I work extensively on auto painting so am overly comfortable wet sanding painted surfaces so this should be no big deal.

Has anyone removed the four copper plate screws from the Tunic? Is this a good idea?

Thanks.

JR

I am going to say 'No' to that... I don't think it is a good idea. Part of that helps with heat transfer and they may have used some special grease in there.

Just take your time and do it the more difficult way... My .02c

 

[smopoim86]

it would probably be ok, but you would probably get more out of lapping your cpu than your heatsink

EDIT: I cant freakin type... had to fix a few words

 

[jriker1]

I will be lapping the CPU as well. Probably the best practice would be to lap both or none at all since then one will be totally flat and the other concave or convex which may end up creating a worse connection between things then if nothing was done at all.

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: jriker1
Has anyone removed the four copper plate screws from the Tunic? Is this a good idea?

Seems like I've read about someone doing this, but I never heard the upshot...

Sooooo, owning two Tower 120's, I would *guess* it's safe to remove the bracket and see what under it, but you'll probably find the heatpipes are crimped/pressed/soldered or whatever to the copper plate, to keep them from moving around.

If that's the case, I certainly wouldn't pry the heatpipes out of the plate, 'cause you'll never get them reoriented correctly...

 

[jriker1]

Yes. I can't confirm this, however I have read two items on the Tuniq, one mentions solder from the heat pipes to the plate, not sure why there would be screws holding it together then, but guess more for strength then. The other that it's not solder but some kind of solder compound, whatever that is. Either case I'm guessing it's not ideal to remove it. Just going to have to spend time trying to clean the junk out of the bottom screw holes after I'm done lapping the heat sync.