I lapped my CPU

By: Spyhop
January 10th, 2009
2:23 am

I lapped my CPU

After reading so much about the benefits I decided to lap my CPU.
Keep in mind this voids warranty.

Here's my CPU before. I just pulled it from my system in this pic. You can see from the uneven contact imprint in the arctic silver that the heat spread isn't very uniform.


Here's my CPU all cleaned up.


Here's the required materials.
-Sheet of glass or a mirror as a working surface
-Isopropyl alcohol
-Sandpaper in varying grains. In my case I had 400, 600, 1000, 1500, and 2000
-Cotton balls for cleaning afterwards
-Tape to secure everything


Here's the 400 grit sandpaper prepped on the sheet of glass.


I sanded in straight back and forth motions, not using too much or too little pressure. After 8 swipes or so I'd rotate the CPU 90 degrees. This is halfway though. You can see the nickel plating has worn off in some areas and not others. This shows how the heat spreader was not a uniform surface.


I keep sanding until the nickel is gone and only copper is showing on the surface


Next the 600 grain paper, same procedure


Next the 1000


I apologize, I missed the picture for 1500. However, for 1500 and 2000 I switched to gentle and consistent figure 8 motions on the paper, keeping even pressure on the cpu.

Here's the finished product after 2000 grain and cleaning:






I will post temp differences when the AS5 sets a little bit. But so far the difference is already very noticable.


Disclaimer: Don't do this. If you mess up your CPU I told you not to do this. There.

Join the Discussion!

43 comments on "I lapped my CPU"

  • RedLion
    January 10, 2009 at 2:45 am

    Nice mirror cpu. Did you try to shave in front of?

    More seriously, what are the benefits and also the inconveniences of the operation?

  • masta.g.86
    January 10, 2009 at 3:07 am

    Disadvantages:
    1.) You can destroy your CPU if you sand too far into the die surface. (To the point where you're "sanding" the core. Gotta sand pretty far in to it though.)
    2.) It takes a while to properly do it. (It's wise to step up the sandpaper grit little by little until you're using a "finishing" grit.)

    Advantages:
    Removing the nickel coating to expose the copper beneath it allows for improved heat dissipation since copper is a better conductor. (If you're serious about overclocking, then this might be for you!)

    @Spyhop
    That pic with Mirror's Edge and your lapped CPU is awesome! Looks artsy...

  • RedLion
    January 10, 2009 at 3:15 am

    Thanks masta.g.86.

  • Squall-Leonhart
    January 10, 2009 at 4:03 am

    intel and amd could (should) have the extreme and BE cores lapped by default.

  • Spyhop
    January 10, 2009 at 10:57 am

    Originally Posted by masta.g.86
    Advantages:
    Removing the nickel coating to expose the copper beneath it allows for improved heat dissipation since copper is a better conductor. (If you're serious about overclocking, then this might be for you!)
    Not exactly. The nickel would have served just as well. Intel's heat spreaders by default are not completely flat. They're brushed metal and they're usually slightly warped from manufacturing in some way. (non-detectable by the naked eye). If you look in some of my first pictures, some parts of the nickel sand away before other parts because the surface is uneven.

    Lapping completely smooths out the heat plate, allowing for better contact and conductivity with the heatsink. You're supposed to lap you heatsink as well, but mine came pre-lapped so I didn't have to.

  • RF
    January 10, 2009 at 10:20 pm

    Noice

  • Dax
    January 10, 2009 at 10:26 pm

    Heh, nice pics. Nice touch with the Mirror's Edge pic as well.

  • Phil
    January 10, 2009 at 11:23 pm

    Lapping should get you a 3-6c drop. But more importantly, your chip should sustain heat better. Nvidia laps there chips defualt

    Spyhop, your next step is to lap your cpu cooler

  • skoreanime
    January 10, 2009 at 11:25 pm

    Some manufacturers purposely give their heatsink bases an outward concave nowadays. The TRUE is done that way so owners won't have to lap their CPU to get the best contact. But most of the after market heatsinks out there have mirror finishes themselves too so lapping usually generates a good drop in temperatures

    I did it with my old E6600 cause even at stock and idle it was ridiculously hot. Arm was sore the next day though

  • Phil
    January 10, 2009 at 11:29 pm

    Water blocks are best bowed too

    I lapped both my cpu and block anyway



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