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Do you use the little spatula with thermal paste?

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Just a quick question about your personal experience. I have always done the line method and used the water block as pressure. Never spread it.
 

TheLostSwede

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Business cards are better. $100 bills are useless...
 

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Plastic cards, or my fancy metal spatula.
I only use that plastic "spoon" to apply soldering flux on pads and BGA ICs.
 

CAPSLOCKSTUCK

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I use a card to spread it out, just a little enough to cover the CPU works best for me with great temps as result.
 
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Yea it's not the best. I'm careful and don't really do it often. It's how I was taught to do it, but like I said, probably risky

I think you'd also waste some TIM in the Q-Tip too. But, whatever works for you, who am I to judge?
 

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I always use a razor blade.
$100 bills are useless...
I feel like we are discussing something other than TIM spreading tools here....
 
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I think you'd also waste some TIM in the Q-Tip too. But, whatever works for you, who am I to judge?
Totally a waste, it absorbs some. I'm open to other ideas, just what I had on hand. I'm sure the other methods are better.
 

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I feel like we are discussing something other than TIM spreading tools here....


i just held a ruler up against my screen and that straw is going nowhere near her nose.
 

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I break off the end of a qtip and use the stick to spread.

Sometimes I use a finger with plastic wrap on it but its wasteful.
 

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I think you'd also waste some TIM in the Q-Tip too. But, whatever works for you, who am I to judge?

I've always used a Q-tip as well except I had the sense to cut the cotton head off o_O :laugh:
 
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I just place a tiny drop dead center and apply pressure with the cooler. Never failed, and you ensure you don't overdo it that way. Same tiny drop every time, dead center, don't touch it. If it works once, it always will. The moment you start touching it with whatever instrument, every mount will be of different quality.

This also eliminates one potential issue when your cooling isn't doing well. I never have to wonder if I mounted it right.
 

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I'm thinking Silver boogers :rolleyes:o_O
That just reminded me of the cheap thermal paste from Poland....
http://termopasty.pl/en/produkty/ag-silver-en/

I remember the first time I used this crap, it was all over my desk, on my fingers, on my noze, on my pants (I guess I had to scratch my balls, or something), on the wall and on the laptop housing which I just cleaned in a bubble bath....
That's where I got my plastic spatula from, btw

If any of you are from eastern europe - don't ever buy this stuff!
 
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That just reminded me of the cheap thermal paste from Poland....
http://termopasty.pl/en/produkty/ag-silver-en/

I remember the first time I used this crap, it was all over my desk, on my fingers, on my noze, on my pants (I guess I had to scratch my balls, or something), on the wall and on the laptop housing which I just cleaned in a bubble bath....
That's where I got my plastic spatula from, btw

If any of you are from eastern europe - don't ever buy this stuff!

I bet the AG stands for All Gooey
 
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I follow the instructions
 

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Oh, I almost forgot the funniest thing about TIM interfaces and drugs...
This is how I get the cheapest КПТ-8 paste in the local office supply store:

IMAG1278.jpg

Good thing I only live around the corner, cause this would provoke some unexpected questions from local policemen ))
 
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