Best technique for applying thermal paste?

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Aside from wasting thermal paste, what harm can come from using too much? It seems to me you would just get better heat transfer.
 
If you put the paste on too thick, it actually hampers transfer. Basically you want it to be 1 molecule thick, essentially its only there to fill the microscopic crevices. This is the reason that lapping the heatsink and cpu makes so much difference.
 
If you put the paste on too thick, it actually hampers transfer. Basically you want it to be 1 molecule thick, essentially its only there to fill the microscopic crevices. This is the reason that lapping the heatsink and cpu makes so much difference.

Ohhh.... I understand now. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I've always been better at using a computer than understanding how all the parts work together. :laughing:
 
You can trial run your thermal application by using a small piece of glass. Just apply the TIM to your cpu before putting it on the mobo and pretend the piece of glass is the base of your heat sink. You can see exactly how it will spread when you go for the real shabang and you can adjust accordingly. Remember to clean your processor before reapplying the TIM for realz.
 
After lapping my processor and heatsink, the actual contact area where cores are has almost no TIM on it due to having very very flat surfaces that match up well.
 
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