Thermal Paste TIM application Stencil Template for COBS
- Thread starter robincnn
- Start date
robincnn
Well-Known Member
The inner square remains the same. Only the screw positions on template need to be adjusted for neq holder.
Do you have a link to this holder or its datasheet?
AquariusPanta
Well-Known Member
I think it was @stardustsailor who led me to the credit/debit/gift card trick when applying a layer of TIM to a heatsink. Such an easy process, you just have to clean the card off every once in awhile and spread TIM evenly from each direction. Plus if there's leftover TIM that you can spot, you can salvage what would elsewise become waste.
DarthBlazeAnthony
Well-Known Member
Is that a water cooled led holder?
bicit
Well-Known Member
I haven't been using templates. My method requires a cob holder of some sort. For the Cree CX series I put the chip in the cob holder, zero the scale, put the chip+holder on a scale, then dispense a 'line' of thermal paste down the center until the desired weight is achieved. Then I spread the paste out with a razor blade on the chip itself followed by mounting.
I always seemed to get an excessive amount of thermal paste trying to do the template method on the heatsink. Thermal paste ain't cheap either so I didn't like the waste. So I weigh it all now, much cleaner, all I need is a scale and razor.
I always seemed to get an excessive amount of thermal paste trying to do the template method on the heatsink. Thermal paste ain't cheap either so I didn't like the waste. So I weigh it all now, much cleaner, all I need is a scale and razor.
DarthBlazeAnthony
Well-Known Member
I just went ahead and purchased this.
DarthBlazeAnthony
Well-Known Member
what weight amount are using? I like your idea.
robincnn
Well-Known Member
This 2 piece assembly, geometry a little complicated for Sunday.
I use credit card and the transparent template
bicit
Well-Known Member
Depends on the thermal paste you're using. They should list a density in the specs. For PK-3 it looks like they list 2.7 grams per cm³. So for a .05mm layer of thermal paste on a 34.85mm² CXB3590 you would need ~60.73mm³ of TIM, which converts into .06073cm³ of thermal paste. Multiply that by the density (2.7g/cm³)*(0.06703cm³)=0.17 grams of TIM. Rounded to two figures since that's all my scale will do. A little get's left on the blade and that's alright IME. I've never tried it, but I'm sure a plastic card of some sort would work just as well as a razor blade.Work quickly though, as few strokes as possible or the tim will start to dry.
I tried a few different methods of mounting cobs to clear acrylic. Using the razor blade to smooth out a single line of TIM gave the best results from what I could see. Also let's me track my TIM usage/waste throughout the build as well by weighting everything along the way. If you care about such things.
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