Thermal grease

[Phil]

Every time I install a CPU, I fight the urge to spread the thermal grease around with my finger to be sure it fully covers. Any reason not to do that? I always feel like I need to take the heatsink back off to inspect the grease.

[IVIYTH0S]

Every time I install a CPU, I fight the urge to spread the thermal grease around with my finger to be sure it fully covers. Any reason not to do that? I always feel like I need to take the heatsink back off to inspect the grease.

I do that too, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. (atleast non of the chips I've done it to have erupted in flames yet . Ironically I never did it to MY CPU but my dad's and my friend's seem to have very even contact since all their cores show the same reading.

[Jump4h]

A. I thought you may NEVER spread the thermal interface material with your finger, only witha business card

 

B.I also thought if you remove the heatsink it equals reapplying

 

Anyway, here are the Arctic Silver 5 instructions http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

[rourkchris]

I always lift the heatsink off to inspect the coverage after applying TIM. I tend to put too much on so always need to make sure. I'll wipe off the bottom of the heatsink, re-apply the heatsink then check again. It's usually right the 2nd time.

[xly15]

I always lift the heatsink off to inspect the coverage after applying TIM. I tend to put too much on so always need to make sure. I'll wipe off the bottom of the heatsink, re-apply the heatsink then check again. It's usually right the 2nd time.

 

 

I usually have to do the same.

[Compxpert]

I woudn't think using you finger would be a good idea as the oils from your finger mix with the TIM which I have no idea if it really could affect it but its possible it could. I always use and old credit card to spread TIM.

[Waco]

Oils in your skin aren't going to make any measurable difference. Hell, even going from cheap white paste to the most expensive/best stuff out there usually only results in a change of a degree or two under extremely heavy load.

 

I've always spread it with my finger.

[Phil]

OK, that's all I need! I was really just looking for an excuse to do it! Hahaha.

 

Thanks for all the posts and the link.

 

It always seemed like there was some kind of taboo about spreading the grease, but if you can smoosh it with the heatsink, why not something else? And since it seems you always end up with it on your fingers anyways...

[Baulten]

With regular sinks, I put a small dot on, crank it down. With HDT sinks, I put two thin lines (or three if there were three ridges, I guess), and crank it down.

 

I never check it, spread it, etc. Used to, but don't see any point now that I know how much to use and such. It spreads out evenly on it's own FAR better than I can spread it, and spreading it manually may lead to large clumps where it isn't needed and a lack of TIM where it is neede.

[Phil]

It is done.

 

I spread it with my finger and it felt goood.

[IVIYTH0S]

It is done.

 

I spread it with my finger and it felt goood.

yeah spreading with your finger is great, just make sure to use a set direction of spreading since you don't want to get fingerprinted gaps in the compound.

[Andrewr05]

It is done.

 

I spread it with my finger and it felt goood.

Arctic silver 5?

 

yech!

That stuff is a classy lady to wipe off, plus now every piece of hardware you touch from that point on could potentially have a short where even a residual amount of AS5 was "finger printed".

 

I've come to like OCZ Freeze, not conductive and spreads just as easily.