How to lap an i7 980X

Here i will show you how to lap a cpu.
In some cases your cpu temperature will go down up to 9 degrees °C !

All you need is :

- A set of sandpaper.

- A mirror or piece of glass. (has to be really flat)

- A wet towel to clean your hands and mirror/glass a few times.

- A lot of patience.

First of all order a cpu lapping set here

I always love to unpack packages

And some candy’s off course

A little present from Highflow

The sandpaper grit sizes

Lets start !

Maybe you can find the old protection plate of your cpu.

Else you can also protect the backside of the cpu with some tape.

Some people tape the sandpaper to the mirror, but if you do it the right way you don’t have to.

Just go from left to right on the paper.

Don’t press on the cpu, just use the weight of your hand.

Every 2 minutes turn the cpu 90° clockwise.

When i start with the first paper, i always go on till the HS has lost it’s iron/silver color.

After that the real polishing part already starts.

After 5 Minutes with P400

You can see this HS isn’t flat at all

Again 5 Minutes with P400

Total 10 Minutes

Another 10 Minutes  with P400

Total 20 Minutes

And another 10 Minutes with P400

Total 30 Minutes

Pfff and another 15 Minutes P400

Total 45 Minutes

As you can see the HS has lost all its silver color.

Its completely flat now.

We can now go on to the polishing.

10 Minutes with P600

Total 55 Minutes

10 Minutes with P800

Total 1 hours en 5 Minutes

10 Minutes with P1000

Total 1 hours en 15 Minutes

You can see its already starting to work as a mirror.

10 Minutes with P1500

Total 1 hours en 25 Minutes

Now we need to change our strategy.

First of all clean the mirror and the cpu.

This is because the old copper particles can ruin your polish job by rubbing them into the HS.

Now you don’t go from left to right with the cpu.

Just move in a circle for 2 minutes and then turn the cpu 90° clockwise again.

15 Minutes withP2000

– Total 1 hours en 40 Minutes

Almost done

20 Minutes with P2500

Total 2 hours

Isn’t she lovely ?

Pictures are clickable for full resolution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t forget there’s also a difference in temperature since i used MX-2 before.

I guess that’s a 2 °C difference too

Got sore fingers but …
As you can see, quite an improvement in temperatures

For any questions you can always leave a message @ the contact page.

Goodluck !

I want to thank Highflow for the Sandpaper and the MX-4 !