I need thermal tape

[Snowman]

Well I got an awesome waterblock for my video card and ramsinks the only problem is I am missing the thermal media for the ramsinks if somebody could help a brotha out that would be awesome.

[Oneslowz28]

I have never seen the tape sold. The only thing I know of is the thermal epoxy that Arctic Silver sells.

[blueonblack]

This is just about the best stuff out there:

3M 8815 thermal tape (http://www.frozencpu.com/products/10223/thr-75/3M_8815_Thermally_Conductive_Adhesive_Transfer_Tap e_-_2_x_2.html)

[Snowman]

yeah I have found the tape but i was hoping for something idk cheap lol

[blueonblack]

Don't think you'll find thermal tape cheap. Sorry.

[msmrx57]

Thermal tape/paste is somewhere I don't think I'd go cheap. Cheap is, well cheap.

[x88x]

That's actually not a bad price on the 3M stuff, imo. You probably won't need more than one or two squares of it.

[Snowman]

Okay let me rephrase by cheap I meant somebody somewhere might have had some leftover. It isn't a horrible price I am just cheap haha; guess I will order that and see what happens. Any ideas whether the epoxy will work better or worse than the tape?

[blueonblack]

Any ideas whether the epoxy will work better or worse than the tape?

As far as I know they will both stick and transfer heat just fine. The difference is the epoxy is forever.

[diluzio91]

ill tell you a secret... a doughnut of AS5 or any other thick thermal paste will create a vaccum seal for ram sinks. lol.. thats how i attach mine. just a dot, then stick it down, swish it around, so long as you dont touch it alot it holds quite well.

[Snowman]

ill tell you a secret... a doughnut of AS5 or any other thick thermal paste will create a vaccum seal for ram sinks. lol.. thats how i attach mine. just a dot, then stick it down, swish it around, so long as you dont touch it alot it holds quite well.

AS5 looks rather explicit when reading it in gmail on my incredible.. I actually have some of this as its the only thing rat shack stocks. I will try it before I order anything.

[Kayin]

I use as5 on the center with a dab of superglue on the corners. Removeable and excellent transfer.

[Snowman]

I use as5 on the center with a dab of superglue on the corners. Removeable and excellent transfer.

well here is where I sit.. the four gray chips at the top were not in contact with the stock heatsink but this seems odd to me but what do i know. How well does the superglue disconnect when needed?

http://knoxware.org/snowman/2010-11-08%2018.05.21.jpeg

[The boy 4rm oz]

I would not recommend thermal paste as an alternative myself because it can run onto the main PCB and can cause shorts which will fry your card. The superglue trick does work as Kayin said though, just a tiny drop on 2 diagonal corners will hold the sink flat for you. If it needs removing just twist the sink and it should pop right off. I have done it once before myself and used a needle to dab on the glue. You could also use the end of a staple or a paperclip.

[Snowman]

I can't imagine AS5 running anywhere fast but I will keep all this in mind and maybe try it this weekend.

[Diamon]

If thermal grease shorting out the card worries you just go for the ones with graphite instead of metal in them.

[Konrad]

Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive (http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_thermal_adhesive.htm) (Review at Overclocker Cafe (http://www.overclockercafe.com/Reviews/other_misc/Artic%20Silver%20Adhesive/artic%20silver.html))

3M (http://www.3m.com/product/information/Thermally-Conductive-Adhesive-Transfer-Tape.html) (expensive, maybe the best)

Parker Chomerics THERMATTACH T404, T405, T405-R and T412 Thermal Tapes (http://www.chomerics.com/products/thermattachT404_405_412.htm) (sold by the roll, expensive, but you can Request a Sample)

And of course there's always the Radio Shack stuff; cheap, quick, and dirty. Better than nothing.

Side note - I'll admit that Kayin's trick is something I've never tried before, but I wouldn't personally go for SuperGlue (cyanoacrylate-based) adhesives, I'd try a few little dabs of common potting compound (epoxy resin) because it adheres well enough, it's typically engineered with minimal thermal interface/expansion considerations in mind (it's specially made for electronic applications), and it's probably a helluva lot easier to remove with chemical solvents that don't do (much) damage to PCBs.

[Kayin]

The cyanoacrylate is meant to only be dabbed at the corners-I've never had a ramsink fall off that way, and since the majority of the bond is TIM, it seems to work very well.

The 3M stuff is excellent, but it costs an arm, a leg, and a more unmentionable part.

[Snowman]

Kayin i seem to remember you have some TIM that needs tested what is the viscosity of that stuff haha? I am just shooting around ideas because I couldnt find the super glue and been to lazy to do it honestly.

[The boy 4rm oz]

Why not just buy this?
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Sekisui-5760-Thermal-Adhesive-Tape-8-X1-3-strips-2ft-/320555681623?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa29b8757
This is the same stuff I used on those sinks I sent you. works great. Japanese made and the auction is located in the US so shipping should be dirt cheap, only a few dollars.

[Kayin]

This version is pretty thin. It's working great on my i7, looking for the few bucks it'll take to send to a few staff members here for review.

It's certainly not thick enough to work as a glue itself. The Sekisuki stuff he has listed will work just fine, though.

[Snowman]

done and done, now we play the waiting game.