Best way to apply thermal grease?

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coredumperror

Member
Sep 18, 2006
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Hi all,
I've had a little experience applying thermal grease to my various Athlon CPUs over the years, but I've always felt that I could do it a lot more efficiently. I've wasted a bunch of Arctic Silver, and could have applied it much more evenly, but I've never really found anything that says how best to do so. So, before I start putting my new machine together, I wanted to ask here what the best way to apply thermal grease is.

I've also got some left-over Arctic Silver Ceramique from a few years back, and I was wondering if I should replace it with some AS5 to apply to my new system. Should I bother?
 
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shabby

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,782
45
91
Some people smear an even amount over the core and put on the heatsink, while others put a rice-sized amount of paste in the middle of the core and make the heatsink squish it and spread it over the core.
I prefer the second way.
 
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Caldenfor

Member
Sep 22, 2006
114
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I have seen someone use a plastic bag before to spread it around nice and thin. I am not sure what is the best, but I just thought I would toss that into the discussion. Could use non powdered latex gloves? I have no idea, I would stick with the baggy.

Dave
 
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LittleNemoNES

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
4,142
0
0
Originally posted by: Caldenfor
I have seen someone use a plastic bag before to spread it around nice and thin. I am not sure what is the best, but I just thought I would toss that into the discussion. Could use non powdered latex gloves? I have no idea, I would stick with the baggy.

Dave
Click to expand...

I do this.

Use a ziplock bag and spread it around. Use a blade to remove the excess. Your fingers should NOT touch anything.
 
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Waylay00

Golden Member
Nov 15, 2004
1,793
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71
I just put a small pea sized drop of it in the center and let the heatsink spread it out.
 
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pkme2

Diamond Member
Sep 30, 2005
3,896
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I use a drop of AS and smear a very thin coat with plastic covered finger. It works for me.
 
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Soul Colossus

Member
May 8, 2006
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned the credit card/razor blade method? That gets it the most even. The drop in the middle seems like it would be confined only to the center of the heatspreader.
 
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LittleNemoNES

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
4,142
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Originally posted by: Soul Colossus
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the credit card/razor blade method? That gets it the most even. The drop in the middle seems like it would be confined only to the center of the heatspreader.
Click to expand...

Use a blade to remove the excess
Click to expand...

:)

 
Pens1566

Pens1566

Lifer
Oct 11, 2005
13,470
10,918
136
Originally posted by: Soul Colossus
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the credit card/razor blade method? That gets it the most even. The drop in the middle seems like it would be confined only to the center of the heatspreader.
Click to expand...

And where exactly do you think the cpu core is?
 
erikistired

erikistired

Diamond Member
Sep 27, 2000
9,739
0
0
Originally posted by: Soul Colossus
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the credit card/razor blade method? That gets it the most even. The drop in the middle seems like it would be confined only to the center of the heatspreader.
Click to expand...

the pressure spreads it out nicely. supposed to stop air pockets from forming as well.
 
RallyMaster

RallyMaster

Diamond Member
Dec 28, 2004
5,581
0
0
Originally posted by: snes tor
I do the small rice grain drop in the center... let the heatsink squish it.
Click to expand...

some guy asked me the same question the other day...he found applying AS5 really difficult...that n00b
 
Powermoloch

Powermoloch

Lifer
Jul 5, 2005
10,084
4
76
I've been using the squishing method for a while now. And it never failed me...in both CPU and GPU HSF installations.
 
VinDSL

VinDSL

Diamond Member
Apr 11, 2006
4,869
1
81
www.lenon.com
Originally posted by: Powermoloch
I've been using the squishing method for a while now. And it never failed me...in both CPU and GPU HSF installations.
Click to expand...
I don't know exactly what you mean by 'squishing method' -- but, with my last HSF -- I had to fight like hell to get the $!@%# thing installed.

I turned it this way, and a corner clip came off...

Then I turned that way, and another corner clip came off...

So, I started over again, only to have another corner clip come off -- squishing the grease the whole time...

Eventually, I got this POS HSF on -- on all four corners -- and it worked out okay...

So, this is what I call the "squishing method".

LoL! Is this what you're talking about? :)
 
erikistired

erikistired

Diamond Member
Sep 27, 2000
9,739
0
0
Originally posted by: VinDSL
Originally posted by: Powermoloch
I've been using the squishing method for a while now. And it never failed me...in both CPU and GPU HSF installations.
Click to expand...
I don't know exactly what you mean by 'squishing method' -- but, with my last HSF -- I had to fight like hell to get the $!@%# thing installed.

I turned it this way, and a corner clip came off...

Then I turned that way, and another corner clip came off...

So, I started over again, only to have another corner clip come off -- squishing the grease the whole time...

Eventually, I got this POS HSF on -- on all four corners -- and it worked out okay...

So, this is what I call the "squishing method".

LoL! Is this what you're talking about? :)
Click to expand...

i would think he means the grain of rice in the middle method.
 
cmdrdredd

cmdrdredd

Lifer
Dec 12, 2001
27,052
357
126
Originally posted by: Soul Colossus
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the credit card/razor blade method? That gets it the most even. The drop in the middle seems like it would be confined only to the center of the heatspreader.
Click to expand...

After a while it will spread out on its own naturally.
 
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