delid cell tool

[luvbuckets]

So I was having a hard time delidding my cell for some reason. I tried bending a nail file with a lighter and sanding it down. I tried the painting tool and nothing seemed to work for me. It just felt like I had to apply a ton of force which didn't feel right to me. After a while I got frustrated and started looking at the other painting tools that came in my kit. I got the idea from the method I use to remove the IHS from the RSX. Granted I delid the RSX after it's pulled from the board. I just take a thin razor and kind of rock it back and forth lightly on the corner between the IHS and the ram chips until it breaks the glue. I figured I could do the same with this odd shaped tool on the cell.

The tool I decided to use came in this kit from Amazon:

https://a.co/d/fWEee36

The specific tool I use is this one in the kit:

https://imgur.com/gallery/ZI3X5qx

I didn't need to modify it at all. It was thin enough to fit under the heat spreader. I use a jig for support and I just wiggle it back and forth while applying a little bit of pressure. Eventually it just kind of breaks through the silicon. I just figured this might help someone who was new to the process like me and was getting frustrated.

Here is a picture of the cell after I used the tool for the first time:

https://imgur.com/gallery/Xd9fWT5

Ignore that scratch on the bottom that was from a different tool on a previous attempt. This was a scrap board. I think it's going to be hard to scratch any traces with this tool, just remember to apply light pressure and let the rocking motion do most of the work. If you break through the silicone applying too much pressure, you could stab straight into the cell.

 

[unseen]

I did already 2 delids. First on a 2500, than on a CECHC.
Both went successfully.
Used a (rather crappy) nail file, as per NSC videos.
The trick is that the cutting surface has to be super thin. At least the part that cuts the silicone. Otherwise the pressure (excerted by the silicone) will be so large, that it will be nearly impossible to cut. And the risk of demaging the CELL tracks increase dramatically.
The tip and edges of my tool were really sharp and thin, but further back and the middle part not so thin. So I struggled a LOT delidding the first console. Than I realized to lap more the middle part, and pull a bit out, so only the tip cuts into the silicone.
If you check out his videos, the tool is made out of a stronger BGA flux applying steel tool. The cutting surface is thin and very narrow! So the surface that interacts with the silicon is as small as possible. He cuts IHS'es like hot knife trough butter.

 

[luvbuckets]

This method takes almost no effort as well. It also doesn't require any modifications to the tool. I appreciate the tip on grinding the nail file down. You're probably right, I most likely didn't make it thin enough. I probably should revisit that idea just to try it.