How much adhesive to mix?

GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
edited July 2003 in Hardware
I'm going to be affixing some heatsinks to my southbridge and the RAM chips on my video card... I plan on mixing Arctic Alumina adhesive with some Ceramique so it sticks, but doesn't do so permanently... What ratio should I mix it in in order to get a good bond that will come loose when I need it to, without ripping the RAM off of my video card?

Comments

  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    100% Adhesive. Razor Blade will slice it off fine, and it will also slice off heatsinks that are held on by thermal double-stick pads and remove any residue(razor blade scraper is a geeky tool too-- IMHO Ageek). If you were to say Alumina and Alumina Adhesive, probbly 90% adhesive, but I have no idea what the slower cure Ceramique with its heat curing woudl do to bond until the Ceramique cures-- full cure can be 200+ hours of run time for Ceramique and it is not a good bonder at all. I would not want a mobo out of case air flow for 200+ hours of run time to keep video card upside down(RAM chip up and flat) and duct tape is dangerous and tacky to use to temporarily hold heat sinks on.

    So, 0% Ceramique in that mix. Not trying to flame you, had a friend try your proposed mix once and he was picking up heatsinks off bottom of case for three weeks until he went back to all Alumina Adhesive or a tib of Alumina in adhesive.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Interesting. I hadn't heard of Ceramique or Alumina Adhesive until now.

    I've always just used Arctic Silver thermal adhesive. It works very well, but is permanent. Of course, I've heard of guys freezing cards, so as to crack of items permanently affixed. I'm not about to try that.

    I've never had a problem selling a motherboard with an aftermarket/how-fabricated heatsink assembly; and have never had an after-the-sale complaint by the buyer. If you the seller are trusted, the extra beefy heatsinks are usually considered a plus by the potential buyer. If the potential buyer though, is one of those people that doesn't know the difference between the case and the CPU, it might cause some problems.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Has anyone tried JB Weld? I bet it would work well. Hmm, it's probably highly conductive. Anyone tried it?
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    JB Weld is good for very permanent use, yes. Non-permanent, ie removable, no-- would take a neat little very fine sawzall (jeweller's saw) to cut JB Weld. And yes, it is thermally conductive, I know a fellow whose mechanic fixed the head on his Cadillac's engine with JB Weld and it actually held for a month until a replacement head could be sourced and shipped in-- it bnonded to the metal enough to fill three pea sized holes left by spalled chunks disappearing from head and did not shrink or expand more or less than the surrounding alloy.

    Ceramique is a bit more effective for CPU heat sinks, though it takes longer to cure adn develop maximum heat conductivity. It is more thermally conductive than AS II or AS III. Ceramique does not have much adhesion\gluing ability as it si pretty non-viscous and has no adhesive component designed into it AFAIK, but is denser than Alumina or Arctic Silver with finer particles of ceramic material like Alumina also has but no metallic materials-- so Ceramique is not electrically conductive.

    For someone who is very conscientious about cleaning up excess heat sink paste and who is very careful not to let any excess be scraped onto anything electronic, the Metallic (Silver and Aluminum bearing) heatsink thermal pastes are decent. For most folks, the non-electrically conductive Ceramique is as good or better and is safer, where a heatsink is bolted or clamped on.
  • WuGgaRoOWuGgaRoO Not in the shower Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    and the creamique is better too :)
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    For getting rid of heat on a CPU heatsink, yes, but for holding heat sinks in place no.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    How about if I were to mix some Radio Shack silicone compound in with the Arctic Alumina Adhesive? If that's possible, how much of that should I cut the adhesive down with?
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Radio Shack silicone compound in with the Arctic Alumina Adhesive

    Ah, a chemistry experiment...in your computer! Oh, I've GOT to see this!
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited July 2003
    Leonardo said
    Radio Shack silicone compound in with the Arctic Alumina Adhesive

    Ah, a chemistry experiment...in your computer! Oh, I've GOT to see this!

    From a safe distance, while wearing safety goggles...;D


    Prof
    (Who at age 11 made Molotov Cocktails in the basement, until my mom caught me...:werr: )
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Well, they are basicly non-combustive greases, but what bothers me is that hot grease does not stick well. The Radio Shack stuff does not stick-- period. They also will not stay blended....JameCo and CyberGuys sell these baby heatsinks fairly inexpensively, I woudl say just stick them on and if the card dies then you can retreive, and if you sell cardsell it with heatsinks to a younger OCer. But best of luck either way.

    In one word -- NOT! <-- as far as blending stuff to make it less sticky.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Oh man! Just wait until you see the gunk holding on the RAM heatsinks of the TwinMOS 2700 I sold you!;D

    just kidding




    OK, now that I've had fun at John's expense, I must say that he is an honorable, reliable private trader.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    I know you are kidding, they are squeaky clean!!! Thanks, they arrived but have not had time to use them yet.
Sign In or Register to comment.