How to lap your Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme (*WARNING-in depth video)

I apologize for talking so much, but this is a delicate process and I wanted to make sure that I got as much explained as possible.

This is a tutorial on how to correctly modify your TRUE (or any heatsink for that matter) in order for it to achieve optimal heat transfer with your CPU.

FYI: "Lapping" is another way of simply saying sanding in computer lingo. It is done so that you have the flattest surface possible making full contact with your processor (which is also why we lap CPU's as well-perfect contact between both). TRUE's have a very high tendency to be crowned in the middle so lapping them is especially useful.

The cooling gains aren't so much seen in the idle temp as much as they are in the load temp (where the heat really starts pumping from an overclock), and in the end that's what you want.



STATISTICS/RESULTS FROM THIS LAP: After lapping just the TRUE, my CPU's original load temperature dropped by ~8 degrees centigrade. This equated to a 24/7 stable overclock of 3.65GHz. That speed ended up being a 250MHz jump from my prior "un-lapped" OC, which equates to ~7% of a performance increase (up from a previous clock-speed of 3.4GHz). From a stock clock-speed standpoint (going from 2.66 - 3.65GHz), lapping the heatsink resulted in a whopping 37% performance increase.

In general CPU's tend to be pretty flat, so lapping that as well is entirely up to the user. The majority of the greater cooling will come from lapping the heatink, since that is what is dissipating the heat. Usually by lapping the CPU after the heatsink, I found that one will see ~3 additional degrees centigrade shaved off.

I hope that this helps. Please post any other questions you may have, and I'll be sure to answer them as best as I can.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Thermalright
• Ultra
• 120
• Extreme
• TRUE
• how
• to
• lap
• lapping
• heatsink
• mods
• cooling
• overclocking

[okeefe58]

nice video dude - probably the best lapping tutorial I've seen - your ability to keep it level through out is pretty amazing. good job

[Fencefeet]

@okeefe58

Thank you! Appreciate the feedback. Hopefully it helped.

[Rapagangsta]

TRUE = ThermalRight Ultra Extreme?

Did I get it right?

[Fencefeet]

@Rapagangsta

Haha sure did.

[Fallen608]

Ah fantastic just what I was looking for. My Q6600+TRUE may be getting along in years but being able to coax some more out of it will see me to Ivybridge.

Now I feel comfortable lapping my TRUE. Cheers mate.

[x33mmm]

@Fencefeet what actually did you do in this video axaxax very stupid :)

[jpavs6989]

@Fencefeet when I was removing the thermal pad off my heatsink, I think the microfibre cloth I was using may have scratched it, but very minor scratches, maybe 5-6. Is it really necessary to lap it?

[KeithWasHere1]

try silicone or gluing your paper to the glass evenly..will prevent paper buckle alot. I use a similar method to dead flat sand wood pieces.

[KeithWasHere1]

after 2 weeks do you have any finger prints left on that hand?

[sweetaznate]

@KeithWasHere1 no problem at all. I'm sure you'll love SEM coats. They go on smooth as butter and leave an extremely professional finish. The best part is they're made to cure quickly. Good luck.

[KeithWasHere1]

@sweetaznate cool cool,im gonna have to look those up,thanks man i appreciate the input =)

[sweetaznate]

@KeithWasHere1 there are a ton of spray paints made for fiberglass and plastics applications, but very few that don't need an actual uv protective clear coat. One of my absolute favorites is SEM spray paints. They make just about every kind of stock trim color in all kinds of finishes. Pretty much any kind of flat base spray paint can be used if correctly... meaning light coats as to not get solvent trap which cause wrinkling and solvent pop. Afterwards just select one of SEM brand top coats.

[KeithWasHere1]

is there some specialty spray paint made specifically for painting plastics such as fiberglass and urethane peices.? i used Krylong for plastics on my dash(which is ABS plastic) to go from black to like a "coffee with creamer" light grayish/ brown with just a hint of Satin and it came out beautiful.

[KeithWasHere1]

Just a quick automotive question ,,,will Krylon for plastics (hardware store paint) work well for a Urethane bumper for a 3rd gen camaro?...i used Appliances epoxy bought at walmart then over coated that with Duplicolor clear coat from advanced auto for the fenders and doors and it came out phenomenal..no yellowing ,even coverage ,most of my friends dont believe it came out of a can ..now im set to paint the hood and bumpers and was wondering if the Krylong for plastics would suffice or-