Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Well as the title states, I was just curious if anybody had suggestions on which sandpaper grits I should buy and how to do it properly to result in a very nice shiny surface? And where to buy it all locally?
Sanding heat sinks
- Thread starter Airwalker16
- Start date
Isawthelight
Well-Known Member
Lowe's hardware had what I needed in the paint department. I'm working with the 220 grit now. Get the 3M Rubber sanding block, pack of 220 3M SansBlaster Pro , and a pack each of 400 and 600 3M Imperial Wetordry papers, and finish it off with pack of 3M Final Stripping Pads (green scrubbing pads). I'm wet sanding with all grits. I'm like you; learning as we go.
qballizhere
Well-Known Member
If you want a mirror finish you can use micro mesh aluminum oxide it goes up to 12,000 grit http://www.sisweb.com/micromesh/
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
You done a few of these before? I'm at Auto zone and this guy said start at 2000 I was like um....
qballizhere
Well-Known Member
I have sanded more metal, wood, and acrylic than i care to admit to. The MM is great wet sanding then use a little novus 3 2 1
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
On my way to lower then I guess!
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
What do you use f or "wet" sanding? Water?
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Isawthelight
Well-Known Member
water. Frequently wash off the heatsink scrapings off the sandpaper for better results. I'm not sure about the green scrubber pad. A customer suggested it but he might have been joking. I'll find out later. BTW - drill and tap - then polish.
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Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Just sat and talked to an employee here who suggested starting with 400 then 600. Said I'd be happy with that. But if not, go to 1000 or 1500. Also he said the stripping pads are the same as scotch brutes and to use a pink or blue one from Walmart because they're a much finer texture.
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
But he said I really wouldn't need 220 if it's a heatsink.so I'm ere now at Walmart and looking for them
Isawthelight
Well-Known Member
I'm using the 220 grit sandpaper across the whole heatsink to remove the extrusion tool marks and produce a matte finish. Good luck. I used the Extrusion tool marks as drill alignment guides so they are nice to prevent drilling into a fin.
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Guy knew what's up. I bought the blue scotch Brite pads which were low and behold, no scratch type.
I thought this wasn't really needed. Not sure which "cob guru" here said it but I'm pretty sure it was said that they started doing it, then tested a few without sanding and realized there were either no gains, or the gains were too small to matter. They said most (cpu?) heatsinks were milled well enough that sanding wasn't worth the time and effort for our needs.
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
I'm doing it purely for the reason of cosmetics and to erase all the marking I've made on the face.
giantsfan24
Well-Known Member
I think, although I'm not sure, that the use of thermal pads negated the need to sand heat sinks. I believe I read that here but I'm not sure.
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
You can't deny a smooth chrome mirror finish looks hella sweet over stock finish. You can see fin lines and scratches. It'll just look much more athstetically pleasing.
SupraSPL
Well-Known Member
If you want them truly flat, you would have to start out with 80-120 grit and 90% of the work is done at those grits, definitely wet sanding. It is quite a lot of work to get the large waves out. The waves run in the same direction as the fins so you can do most of the flattening in the opposite direction.
The really good news is, in my testing it made no difference whatsoever when I flattened and polished them. Even with a mirror finish I could detect no difference in temp droop. Hilarious to myself that I painstakingly sanded so many huge heatsinks before testing to see if it was worth the time
The really good news is, in my testing it made no difference whatsoever when I flattened and polished them. Even with a mirror finish I could detect no difference in temp droop. Hilarious to myself that I painstakingly sanded so many huge heatsinks before testing to see if it was worth the time
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
I'm starting with 400, then 600 then finishing with the (final stripping pad) just to get it shinier. Not trying to achieve absolute flatness. 
qballizhere
Well-Known Member
Yes however if you look at the link that I posted it shows not just MM pads and paper but also disks to use on a sander to make it a little easier than by hand.If you want them truly flat, you would have to start out with 80-120 grit and 90% of the work is done at those grits, definitely wet sanding. It is quite a lot of work to get the large waves out. The waves run in the same direction as the fins so you can do most of the flattening in the opposite direction.
The really good news is, in my testing it made no difference whatsoever when I flattened and polished them. Even with a mirror finish I could detect no difference in temp droop. Hilarious to myself that I painstakingly sanded so many huge heatsinks before testing to see if it was worth the time
Im a stoner
if i can use a machine to make the process easier then i will use it