Applying thermal paste: best tool to spread it?

Helmut said:

I don't use any tool, just a blob of suitable size and shape and volume in the centre. It will spread out when the heatsink is applied.

The main point is you need to be scrupulously clean so that no grit gets into the mix. I prefer to use non-conductive compounds for the obvious reason if some is squeezed out.

Ditto, have been doing that since I started building computers in a shop back in late '94. An important thing is the clamping down of the heatsink spreads the paste out eliminating any air pockets in it.

Interesting.

I've seen some components that have the thermal paste already applied in a even manner.
So, I just take an old "gift card" - you can get them at many big stores at no charge.

With extremely light pressure. spread the paste thinly in all directions, leaving about 1-2mm from each edge. Repeat the process.

That should do it.

HTH.



P.S. the Five Dot method also works well but there are some tiny gaps.

Berton said:

Ditto, have been doing that since I started building computers in a shop back in late '94. An important thing is the clamping down of the heatsink spreads the paste out eliminating any air pockets in it.

I agree with you on this, but also remember that like with my aftermarket heat-sink it is smaller than the Ryzen chip so I spread the paste thinly over the heat sink face, so not to waste any paste on the rest of the chip.

This debate over air bubbles is been a stupid debate because both surfaces are a solid so how could they hold air bubbles when pressed together the air just moves out the way of the 2 surfaces! - you would have to use a hell of a lot of paste to get air bubbles, even then it would push out under pressure, lol.