Before we get started, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
- 1 - Don't sand too much off the die.
2 - Clean the processor of any metal flakes after sanding the slug.
3 - Be careful not to bend the pins on the processor while handling it.
- 1 - Purchase wet/dry sandpaper in the following grits: 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500 and 2000 for the finishing polish.
2 - Find a perfectly flat surface (using a window pane works well). The flat surface is crucial so that you evenly sand the slug.
3 - Tape the 220 grit sandpaper to the glass and spray some water on it.
4 - Cover the processor with tape (leaving the die exposed) to protect it.
5 - Start sanding and occasionally wipe the paper to remove the metallic grit. Sanding slowly and evenly it took me about 10-15 minutes to remove the layer of nickel from the slug.
6 - Tape the 320 grit sandpaper to the glass and sand the slug for about 10 minutes, wiping the paper occasionally.
7 - Same as step 6, but with 400 grit paper.
8 - Same as step 6, but with 600 grit paper.
9 - Same as step 6, but with 1500 grit paper.
10 - Same as step 6, but with 2000 grit paper.
[ I did this to my Celerons running in my BP6 machine and my temps dropped from about 48c-49c to around 43c-44c at 100% CPU load. ]
(The CPU slug on the left is covered with a thin layer of thermal paste, and you can see the CPU uncovered CPU slug on the right is like a mirror after polishing away the nickel and thinning the copper.)