How do I go about lapping my TT Crystal Orb?

[SithSolo1]

I just got one and the bottom doesn't look very smooth.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: SithSolo1
I just got one and the bottom doesn't look very smooth.

Start with some coarse grit sandpaper, like 400 grit and wet it a bit. Place it on a flat surface and work the COrb in circles. I also use dish washing detergent and some water to smooth it up a bit. Keep at it til all the nickel plating is removed. Then switch to finer grit, maybe 800-1000. Then finish up with something fine like 1500. You can get high quality 3M sand paper from an auto parts store (I found it at Super Trak). Takes a while, I gave up on lapping everything, as the time involved just isn't worth it to me anymore.

Chiz

 

[Fallen Kell]

Couldn't have explained it better. Just one thing, be sure to completely wash and clean everything when you change each sandpaper grit. You don't want to have some of the old grit (or metal filings) getting mixed in/on the finer grit paper cause it will scratch into the heatsink deeper then the rest of the grit and can screw things up for getting a fine, mirror like surface.

And I mean wash everything, your hands, the heat sink, the surface you are sanding on (recommend using glass table or other flat surface), and the bucket of soapy water you used. Also recommend periodically cleaning off the sand paper you are using every few minutes or so to wash away most of the metal filings. It helps to keep the sanding process going faster as the paper does not get clogged up and thus get poor contact to the heatsink.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: Fallen Kell
Couldn't have explained it better. Just one thing, be sure to completely wash and clean everything when you change each sandpaper grit. You don't want to have some of the old grit (or metal filings) getting mixed in/on the finer grit paper cause it will scratch into the heatsink deeper then the rest of the grit and can screw things up for getting a fine, mirror like surface.

And I mean wash everything, your hands, the heat sink, the surface you are sanding on (recommend using glass table or other flat surface), and the bucket of soapy water you used. Also recommend periodically cleaning off the sand paper you are using every few minutes or so to wash away most of the metal filings. It helps to keep the sanding process going faster as the paper does not get clogged up and thus get poor contact to the heatsink.

Great points, especially the cleaning between grits. I guess its obvious I haven't lapped anything in a year or so Nothing more annoying than having a 800 grit streak show up on your near mirror 1500 grit handiwork :Q

Chiz

 

[jarsoffart]

Lapping Guide at System Cooling

 

[OulOat]

It took me 3 hours to get to the copper on mine.

 

[SithSolo1]

All I could find in the sheets bigger than 4x8 was 220, 320, 400, and 600. Will this do?

 

[OulOat]

Not really. Higher grits can be easily found in the auto section of your local Walmart.

 

[SithSolo1]

I went to Auto-Zone, Walmart, and Lowes. What more do you want from me?


Auto-Zone had 400-1000 but higher than 400 was little strips bearly wider than the heatsink.

Walmart had 400 max.

Lowes had 220-320-400 packs and 600.

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: SithSolo1
I went to Auto-Zone, Walmart, and Lowes. What more do you want from me?


Auto-Zone had 400-1000 but higher than 400 was little strips bearly wider than the heatsink.

Walmart had 400 max.

Lowes had 220-320-400 packs and 600.

Go to Advance Auto Parts, or look online. You should be able to get some pretty cheap.

 

[chizow]

No Trak Auto or Super Trak? The 3M is the best I've found, size is like 6 x 10 I think, and grits go all the way up to 1800 or 2000. Excellent stuff.

Chiz

 

[440sixpack]

Nothing at AutoZone? That's where I got a pack of full size 1600 grit.

 

[Wintermute76]

I lapped my slk-900 and vantec iceberq, I started out with 600 and 1200 grit Norton BlackIce wet/dry paper (8x10 sheets) and when all the flycutter marks were off, I got lapping paper and Simichrome lapping/polishing compound and got it all nice and shiny. only took me about an hour to do both. I lapped mine on on of our surface plates at work.

Fallen Kell has a good point about cleaning everything off between grits, you should also rotate 90 degrees for each grit also, to ensure that all the marks are removed from the previous grit.


Personally I like the Norton paper better that 3M, but you might have a hard time finding it, go to an industrial suppy company like J&L or McMaster Carr. My 2 cents anyway.