SLK-800 needed a buttload of lapping!

[The Sauce]

In my latest system build I got an SLK-800 h/s and man, there were ridges all over the bottom. This thing was not even close to smooth. If you ran your fingernail across the bottom it made like a "zipping" sound. Took about an hour of lapping to get an acceptable result. Just a heads up for anyone thinking about buying this.

 

[LikeLinus]

I'm getting ready to purchase one of these.

What kind of sandpaper and # did you use to lap?

 

[The Sauce]

#400
#600
#800
#1000
#1500
#2000

Get a flat surface, tape down the sandpaper, wet the surface, smear a little drop of dishwashing liquid on the h/s surface. Then sand the base in a circular motion about 5-10 minutes per sandpaper grade. Some people start with #260 but that seems a bit too rough for me.

 

[LikeLinus]

Snatch - Thanks for the small little guild. I just ordered one from newegg yesterday and I'll definately do this. Now I just gotta go buy some sandpaper!

 

[Awakened2002]

Are all SLK-800's like this? Why isn't it nice and smooth outta the box then?

 

[The Sauce]

I don't know if they all are but it would stand to reason that they are manufactured similarly. As to why they don't do this, I can only guess that the process must be too difficult/expensive, and/or labor intensive. And most buyers don't really notice this imperfection. But to us enthusiasts it is quite noticable.

 

[Brian48]

Odd. Mine had a very fine polish to the base. Completely flat too.

 

[Adul]

anywrong with using a palm sander to do this?

 

[Viper96720]

Speaking of lapping any of you with P4's lap the heatspreader like the older P3s?
I think a beltsander might be excessive might take too much off in some spots. Unless you had some way of securing it and keeping it square to the sander.

 

[The Sauce]

I dont know about the palm sander, Adul. Gonna be pretty tough to apply even pressure and get a flat result that way.