Found something to start with -- https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2459258

First attempt didn't leave enough space to insert the chip and I had to Dremel.

Here's the second attempt to mount a 40x40x20mm head sink on a 486: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4659201

That's my first Thingiverse publication so I probably got something wrong.

And yes, I did affix the fan with some nasty ass salvaged screws, it's a little crooked, and it pushes out on the outside leg a bit--

This is the "Insert side". CPU goes in first

Here's the bottom:

Here's the "snug side".
The heat sink slides in from the open side. That caused the thermal paste dollop to form.
Takes a moderate amount of pressure to push the heat sink in, but it snaps in place with a satisfying pop.

This is interesting, particularly for those boards that do not have any of those socket tabs at all (early s3 CPU sockets).
I'm not sure if the board pictured here is the board you are trying to create this fan mounting printed assembly thingy for, but even with just the 2 tabs (1 each side) and both near the edge instead of centerlined) it's possible to mount a larger heatsink using one of those z-wire clips, like for instance this one here
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pin_f … th_a_z-clip.png

Tetrium wrote on 2020-11-20, 20:14:

This is interesting, particularly for those boards that do not have any of those socket tabs at all (early s3 CPU sockets).
I'm not sure if the board pictured here is the board you are trying to create this fan mounting printed assembly thingy for, but even with just the 2 tabs (1 each side) and both near the edge instead of centerlined) it's possible to mount a larger heatsink using one of those z-wire clips, like for instance this one here
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pin_f … th_a_z-clip.png

I made a Z clip out of low gage springing dental wire, but it had a bad habit of slipping off the clips and I was worried that it was going to fly off and short out the mobo one day.

Is there a place that sells socket 3 Z clips ?

douglar wrote on 2020-11-20, 21:37:

Tetrium wrote on 2020-11-20, 20:14:

This is interesting, particularly for those boards that do not have any of those socket tabs at all (early s3 CPU sockets).
I'm not sure if the board pictured here is the board you are trying to create this fan mounting printed assembly thingy for, but even with just the 2 tabs (1 each side) and both near the edge instead of centerlined) it's possible to mount a larger heatsink using one of those z-wire clips, like for instance this one here
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pin_f … th_a_z-clip.png

I made a Z clip out of low gage springing dental wire, but it had a bad habit of slipping off the clips and I was worried that it was going to fly off and short out the mobo one day

Valid concern indeed.

I never had to make my own as I had salvaged several off of some old P1-era machines.
The clips look like the one in this pic (bottom row, second most right one)

This pic was posted by Anonymous Coward back in 2012 here on Vogons.

Another pic showing the z-clip mounted onto a (quite small) heatsink here (pic by me) :

douglar wrote on 2020-11-20, 21:37:

Tetrium wrote on 2020-11-20, 20:14:

This is interesting, particularly for those boards that do not have any of those socket tabs at all (early s3 CPU sockets).
I'm not sure if the board pictured here is the board you are trying to create this fan mounting printed assembly thingy for, but even with just the 2 tabs (1 each side) and both near the edge instead of centerlined) it's possible to mount a larger heatsink using one of those z-wire clips, like for instance this one here
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pin_f … th_a_z-clip.png

Is there a place that sells socket 3 Z clips ?

I just noticed your edit:

I don't actually know if it was ever sold. I got mines from larger passive heatsinks that were mostly used in P1 OEM machines.
There are chipset heatsinks that were sold which used similar clips BUT I don't know if these will fit s3/s5/s7/s370/s462 (all these sockets actually have the same dimensions).
Perhaps someone else here has an idea on how to get them, but I don't know alas 😒

I once 3d printed some very thin clips, you just press fit them between heatsinks fins and clip the hooks to the underside of CPU. I made them 4 years ago and they didn't break. But it's worth mentioning that I am using regular white thermal paste, which is pretty sticky and its acting a bit like glue. Clips are attached only to two sides, but they are holding the heatsink in place pretty well.

Can't find the STL file, but it's a simple design. I printed it with ABS, it worked even without heatbed because it's a really small piece. Maybe PET-G would work too.

(that white clip on last photo was a prototype carved by hand)

Put in a little raised bit in middle so the retainer will be under stress to hold heatsink on tighter. Think of the bow get bent under tension for shooting arrows.

Cheers,

Tetrium wrote on 2020-11-20, 21:55:

Valid concern indeed. […]
Show full quote

douglar wrote on 2020-11-20, 21:37:

Tetrium wrote on 2020-11-20, 20:14:

This is interesting, particularly for those boards that do not have any of those socket tabs at all (early s3 CPU sockets).
I'm not sure if the board pictured here is the board you are trying to create this fan mounting printed assembly thingy for, but even with just the 2 tabs (1 each side) and both near the edge instead of centerlined) it's possible to mount a larger heatsink using one of those z-wire clips, like for instance this one here
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pin_f … th_a_z-clip.png

I made a Z clip out of low gage springing dental wire, but it had a bad habit of slipping off the clips and I was worried that it was going to fly off and short out the mobo one day

Valid concern indeed.

I never had to make my own as I had salvaged several off of some old P1-era machines.
The clips look like the one in this pic (bottom row, second most right one)

This pic was posted by Anonymous Coward back in 2012 here on Vogons.

Another pic showing the z-clip mounted onto a (quite small) heatsink here (pic by me) :

I posted a picture with similar Z clip for another vogons member back in the spring. Mine came off old P1 builds too but have always wanted to make my own.
My brother has a very good metal shop and figured if I could make the Z using good #8 steel wire and he could temper it so it would have spring tension.
Figured they would cost about 25 cents each to make (with tempering) but have yet to try it.

Horun wrote on 2020-11-21, 02:09:

I posted a picture with similar Z clip for another vogons member back in the spring. Mine came off old P1 builds too but have al […]
Show full quote

Tetrium wrote on 2020-11-20, 21:55:

Valid concern indeed. […]
Show full quote

douglar wrote on 2020-11-20, 21:37:

I made a Z clip out of low gage springing dental wire, but it had a bad habit of slipping off the clips and I was worried that it was going to fly off and short out the mobo one day

Valid concern indeed.

I never had to make my own as I had salvaged several off of some old P1-era machines.
The clips look like the one in this pic (bottom row, second most right one)

This pic was posted by Anonymous Coward back in 2012 here on Vogons.

Another pic showing the z-clip mounted onto a (quite small) heatsink here (pic by me) :

I posted a picture with similar Z clip for another vogons member back in the spring. Mine came off old P1 builds too but have always wanted to make my own.
My brother has a very good metal shop and figured if I could make the Z using good #8 steel wire and he could temper it so it would have spring tension.
Figured they would cost about 25 cents each to make (with tempering) but have yet to try it.

I know next to nothing about metal working from first hand and also don't have any workshop available to me 😐
But it should be a quite simple product to make.

Not only would it be cheap, but it would be possible to create z clips of different sizes, like for instance Socket 8 but also for Socket 7 with broken socket tabs to which a standard HSF won't seat properly anymore (like a certain ss7 board of mine for which I was unable to glue it back).

Thanks for the feedback. I was using 12 gauge wire, and I think it just didn't have enough strength. I'll use my printouts until I find some 8 gauge wire for Z-spring or until thermal fatigue breaks down the plastic filament.

Oven tests seem to show that the filament I used starts to get undesirably flexible at 150f/65c and starts to get ductile after 200f/95c

douglar wrote on 2020-11-21, 16:56:

Oven tests seem to show that the filament I used starts to get undesirably flexible at 150f/65c and starts to get ductile after 200f/95c

Which type of filament are you using? ABS in theory should work fine, PLA would be rather useless, PET-G might give various results. I have one spool of PET-G which has much lower softening temperature than it claims.

pentiumspeed wrote on 2020-11-21, 00:56:

Put in a little raised bit in middle so the retainer will be under stress to hold heatsink on tighter. Think of the bow get bent under tension for shooting arrows.

Thanks, good idea 😀

adalbert wrote on 2020-11-21, 17:23:

Which type of filament are you using? ABS in theory should work fine, PLA would be rather useless, PET-G might give various results. I have one spool of PET-G which has much lower softening temperature than it claims.

Don't know! I don't have a printer. I submit the .stl plans to my library and they print it out for me. It it's under 7 grams, it's free, so I can't really complain.

Well take a look at my icon. I'm using an ATS BGA heatsink (45mmx45mm) along with a custom 3d printed bracket I made for it to clip onto.

Is the bracket posted on https://www.thingiverse.com/ ?