I want to make a keychain out of the GPU from a dead ATi card, but I'm not sure how to go about it. I want to try to get the chip off the actual board, rather than cutting both the chip and a piece of the board out, because thats a lot of work and is messy and smelly. Anyone know how I could go about this? My only idea is to stick a knife under it and pry it off but I don't want to damage it too much. Anyone ever attempted this?
Can you grab a picture of your specific GPU, because depending on what style of package it is will be to let us know how to be say getting it off. Though I would try using an old swiss army knife and just slide it underneath cutting the solder joints holding it on. Not so much prying as you are lifting and sawing It is the same process I used to make my PII keychain.
i attemped to get 1 off with a knife, but the chip started to crack, so i tryed heating it up with a lighter a little. then i had pices of chip flying round the room as i tryed to prise it off next time i think i will cut around the chip. and see if i can get a thin saw blade in the gap. will have to see. cos the next spare card i have, COULD be of some use still
Yeah, I went ahead and gave it a try, and had a similar experience to teamtd11, but luckily I remembered that I had my stepdads dead 9200SE, so I drilled around it through the board and am now filing it down smooth. The chip is too small and too flimsy to be separated from the PCB.
Ah that sounds a bit tricky then. I once had a PIII keychain (the socketed 370 pin processor) and while it was really cool looking the silicon started to crack and eventually chip away until only the green pcb it was attached to was left. I have found it much better to use processors with a metal core to them. They seem to be much more durable. Though not quite as eye catching as those silicon ones with the cores exposed.
Get yourself a jigsaw and a wood/metal blade, you could easily just jigsaw around the GPU if you're careful.
Some great advice, but I took a simple route and drilled around the chip, then filed it down with a coarse wood file until it was flush with the chip. Came out pretty good I think. Pics... I think its the best way because if you remove the actual chip from the board it won't llast long.
Ah I forgot the 9200 series used that kind of GPU, I was thinking it was using the style found on newer cards, but no matter. Turned out great anyway, goodjob. We should make a keychain thread or something, I have quite a few.
Torch it from the back side. It should pull right off. If you don't have a torch or don't like the smell of burning fiberglass, use a heat gun.
