# Build ram cooler from ruler??



## St.Alia-Of-The-Knife (May 5, 2011)

I have an interesting idea to make a ramsink
i had this stainless steel ruler in math class like this one:






if i cut it into small pieces and stick them to a ram stick and put thermal gel between, it would make a almost perfect ramsink

but here is the question, does the ruler have any kind of transparent finish on it which would not be good for heat transfer, or is it just naked steel?

Plz comment and let me know what you think


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## DanishDevil (May 5, 2011)

It probably has some sort of coating on it. A quick sanding with rougher sandpaper would take care of that, though.


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## sneekypeet (May 5, 2011)

Heatsinks are just show unless you are using silly amounts of volts or RDRAM (old 800mhz DDR)

A well placed fan will do much more than chopping and taping that ruler


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## Frick (May 5, 2011)

sneekypeet said:


> A well placed fan will do much more than chopping and taping that ruler



It would look pretty cool though imo, if done good. If it's implemented in an entire system theme even better.


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## sneekypeet (May 5, 2011)

Frick said:


> It would look pretty cool though imo, if done good. If it's implemented in an entire system theme even better.



Cant argue that creativity aspect. I figured I would just save him the work


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## Spectrum (May 5, 2011)

that's a very creative idea, but yeah as danishdevil said, give it a quick sand first


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## sneekypeet (May 5, 2011)

One other thing..... If you do plan to make these, get thermal adhesive, or devise a clamp to hold the metal on. Typical thermal paste won't hold the weight of that steel


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## Peter1986C (May 5, 2011)

This thermal adhesive tape would do: http://www.akasa.com.tw/update.php?...s&type_sub=Thermal Interface&model=AK-TT12-80


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## scaminatrix (May 5, 2011)

See if marvelous211 still has some of his Shin-Etsu thermal tape
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116125


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## entropy13 (May 6, 2011)

Try using staple wires instead.


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## FordGT90Concept (May 6, 2011)

sneekypeet said:


> Heatsinks are just show unless you are using silly amounts of volts or RDRAM (old 800mhz DDR)


Or FB-DIMMs but those already have a heatsink on them (they'd burn up if they didn't).


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## Dippyskoodlez (May 6, 2011)

Not sure how well steel would work. Staples would probably provide better results even with some gunky coating:

aluminum thermal conductivity @ 25C: 250K
Stainless steel conductivity @ 25C: 16K
Copper @ 25C: 401K

Engineering toolbox

Steel will hold heat well, but aluminum and copper will dissipate it much faster given the surface area which is what you want (low load, rapid cooling)


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## lilhasselhoffer (May 6, 2011)

I second Dippyskoodlez.

Conductivity is the reciprocal of resistivity.  In short, steel conducts 1/10th the heat of aluminum (ballpark figures assuming large variances due to alloying).  This is assuming that the metal directly connects to the heat source, and there are no air gaps.

Engineering aside this idea is, at best, a half-baked ghetto mod.  They sell aluminum channel at big box improvement stores.  It is, through numbers based upon absolutely 0 facts, more expensive to buy a stainless steel ruler (as of this time, raw material prices are about equal) and gut it than to just get aluminum channel.

If you're going to spend money on thermal adhesives (tape or compound), spend money on real heat sink materials.  This is an interesting thought exercise, but nothing reasonable once you put some thought into it.


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## LAN_deRf_HA (May 6, 2011)

scaminatrix said:


> See if marvelous211 still has some of his Shin-Etsu thermal tape
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116125



I sent him a message about it after the thread was locked, never heard back. Not sure what the deal is.


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## Bundy (May 6, 2011)

Dippyskoodlez said:


> Not sure how well steel would work. Staples would probably provide better results even with some gunky coating:
> 
> aluminum thermal conductivity @ 25C: 250K
> Stainless steel conductivity @ 25C: 16K
> ...



Air @ 25C 0.024 

Of course a steel ruler will work and will work well. Certainly better than no heatsink at all.

Just because there are better materials doesn't mean the original suggestion is no good.


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## micropage7 (May 6, 2011)

since its made from steel first you need to make sure its really straight coz it would make your ram short circuit if it curvy or something like that
sanding it, just use 1000 or more
but so far its gonna be pretty ghetto


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## RejZoR (May 6, 2011)

I've once made 100% hand made RAM sinks from aluminium plates:

















It worked and looked pretty cool. The materials used are thick aluminium plates cut into proper size and two sided TESA thermal resistant tape (up to 200°C).

Btw, steel is not a good heat conductor so no one is really using it for cooling. Copper and aluminium. These two metals are the best.
Copper has the best capability to accept heat, aluminium has the best capability to release it. That's why heratpipes are from copper and fins are from aluminium. And also to keep the weight down as the coppe ris significantly heavier.


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## Bundy (May 6, 2011)

RejZoR said:


> Copper has the best capability to accept heat,


 Yes


> aluminium has the best capability to release it.


 No. It appears that way because it absorbs/stores less heat than copper.


> That's why heratpipes are from copper and fins are from aluminium.


 No, see below and also consider that fin performance is also influenced by air conductivity so surface area is important. This means high performance means lots of fins and therefore weight


> And also to keep the weight down as the coppe ris significantly heavier.


 Agree!


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## newtekie1 (May 6, 2011)

Bundy said:


> No, see below and also consider that fin performance is also influenced by air conductivity so surface area is important. This means high performance means lots of fins and therefore weight



Also, for copper to outperform Aluminum, the aluminum has to reach the point where it is saturated with heat.  With that many fins, there is so much aluminum that is never reaches the point of saturation.


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## St.Alia-Of-The-Knife (May 7, 2011)

i also have aluminium flashing like this, but its less than a millimeter thin and flexible.
Would it hold as much heat as the ruler and would it make a better ramsink?


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## Bundy (May 7, 2011)

It doesn't really matter how much heat a heat sink holds, unless you are using it's mass as a buffer against heat spikes.

So yes the aluminium flashing may work better than the steel because it has a higher conductivity. The problem you are introducing is that it's thinkness may be insufficient to adequately carry heat away from the RAM surface to other areas of the aluminium that would dissipate the heat to air.


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## OneMoar (May 7, 2011)

meh I think the ruler idea would look bad ass 
keep the numbers and such


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## theJesus (May 7, 2011)

OneMoar said:


> meh I think the ruler idea would look bad ass
> keep the numbers and such


I agree, especially considering that RAM typically doesn't really need much cooling.


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## RejZoR (May 7, 2011)

Plus keep in mind that aluminium is easy to craft. Steel is not.


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## Dippyskoodlez (May 7, 2011)

pro staplesink


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## RejZoR (May 7, 2011)

Lmao


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## Jetster (May 7, 2011)

RejZoR said:


> Plus keep in mind that aluminium is easy to craft. Steel is not.


Not nessessarly. Aluminium will block up a file or grinder. Steel will not.

Not to be a party pooper but the project is not exactly a stright forward do. Buying ram with a heat sink would be a easier method. 

How about finding old northbridge or GPU/ CPU passice heat sink and cut it to size?


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## RejZoR (May 7, 2011)

Trust me, it is easier even  if you have electric tools. It's just easy to work with and i love it.


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## theJesus (May 7, 2011)

It's only easier because it's weak.


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## jsfitz54 (May 7, 2011)

Instead of sanding off coating, try acetone or lacquer thinner.


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