Suitable glues for heatsinks?

Ollie

Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 15, 2012 10:58AM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 116

When you finally run out of thermal adhesive glue, you start to think. Is there a cheaper alternative? Just as a matter of interest, who uses what?

Ollie

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Nudel

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 15, 2012 11:19AM

Registered: 14 years ago
Posts: 689

I've heard one person uses a drop of regular super glue on the stepper controllers, he says it works fine.

I have tried various glues but don't trust them in the long run for small surfaces, so I've started using sticky thermal pads I cut to size.

--
-Nudel
Blog with RepRap Comic

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Mazaw

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 15, 2012 11:29AM

Registered: 12 years ago
Posts: 108

The traditionally cheap option is double-sided thermal tape. Although in my experience it doesn't work very well for heat conduction.

I don't have any heatsinks on my Sanguino/Stepstick electronics, but for other uses I've always used Arctic Silver thermal epoxy, mixed 50/50 with Arctic Silver paste. It's plenty strong and the mix of the two lets me separate them later.

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JoeDaStudd

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 15, 2012 12:05PM

Registered: 12 years ago
Posts: 187

I had some trouble with the thermal pads my stepper drivers came with so I used some old silver based cpu thermal paste.
I can't remember if it was as thick when it was new, but it almost like a glue.

So far its working like a charm and it hasn't even pasted its burn in period.

My Reprap blog

jds-reprap.blogspot.com

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Ollie

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 15, 2012 01:02PM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 116

Ah, so I think I'll make a point to get some thermal paste at the nex opportunity. I was using the thermal pads for a while, but they didn't stick well to uneven or spherical surfaces. I'll see how the superglue holds up on a mosfet, lucky I have some spares lying around incase ;D

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Auzze

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 15, 2012 07:42PM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 241

HI..

A small drop of super gule it all you need, I have been using it for months without a problem..

Auzze

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Sublime

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 15, 2012 08:45PM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 2,947

I mix regular epoxy with white thermal paste at about 30-50% thermal paste to 70-50% epoxy.

P.s. I learnt how to do this on an overclocking website.

FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

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richrap

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 16, 2012 05:45PM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 818

Stick Kapton on the heatsink base, then use normal superglue on the Kapton/stepper junction, works well and can still be removed if needed.

[richrap.blogspot.com]

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BenJackson

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 16, 2012 06:54PM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 25

There is thermal epoxy. It's epoxy with metal "pigment". It looks like silver heatsink goo but it's epoxy. It's not cheap but if does make the most of the surface area for heat transfer.

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TheIrrationalDevotion

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 16, 2012 10:10PM

Registered: 12 years ago
Posts: 20

Super-glue has always worked well for me on small components -> pololu drivers and the like...

Bigger components, need the thermal paste / thermal epoxy all the way.

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evilb

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 17, 2012 03:35AM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 35

I tried putting a thermistor on my PCB heated bed yesterday, but the thermal paste i had left over from my hotend was completely solid. Would double sided heatsink tape work here?

Evert

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rhmorrison

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 17, 2012 03:56AM

Registered: 14 years ago
Posts: 3,742

Kapton tape should work. At least it does on my heated Wolf Bed.

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

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martinprice2004

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 17, 2012 04:07AM

Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 376

I just use regular quick setting epoxy. Just a very thin layer so it doesnt affect the thermal conduction too much.

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rcs

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 17, 2012 05:07AM

Registered: 12 years ago
Posts: 56

I found that on the ali bed I drill a blind hole for the thermistor and use silicone gasket from a car spares shop it is OK up to 625' F. I also use it on the hot end to hold the thermistor in place. I found it much better that fire cement.

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evilb

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
February 17, 2012 05:09AM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 35

cheers, i'll try tape

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Sublime

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
March 03, 2012 06:34PM

Registered: 13 years ago
Posts: 2,947

I just realized I had the instructions for making thermal epoxy bookmarked.
[www.overclockers.com]

FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

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bdcannon

Re: Suitable glues for heatsinks?
March 06, 2012 03:44PM

Registered: 12 years ago
Posts: 81

If I could add my two cents on this, because you learn the hardway sometimes. If do you use thermal compound, I'd go with one that is not electrically conductive. Can cause some undesired shorts.

bdc
~Stay Calm Out There

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