was wondering aboutu as3 application...

...I was thinking of just putting a layer of as3 on my slk800(a)....and not worrying about a thin layer on my die.....(heat spreader)......that way it would be kinda like a thermal pad....except more like a top of the line thermal pad.....would this work...I think it would take alot of the variables about my as3 application out the window....thanks for your opinions...

Maybe I'm crazy, but I always just apply a layer of paste to my heat sink. I figured it's making contact with the core anyway so the paste will find it's way where it needs to go.

That could work. Its not too hard to master the fine art of AS3 application. It takes a little practice and after that it should go pretty smoothly.
the only problem with that method might be that if you overlay too much some of it could go on the rest of the chip. I dont know if that stuff is very conductive but if it was then that might cause a problem. Also you need to use that much more AS3 and that would be quite a waste.

.Arctic Silver Instructions

You do not want to get it all over your chip. It can cause real problems if it gets on the wrong part of the chip.

treepop said:

...I was thinking of just putting a layer of as3 on my slk800(a)....and not worrying about a thin layer on my die.....(heat spreader)......that way it would be kinda like a thermal pad....except more like a top of the line thermal pad.....would this work...I think it would take alot of the variables about my as3 application out the window....thanks for your opinions...

Click to expand...

You should follow the instructions kendan linked to basically. There is nothing really wrong with applying the paste to the heatsink base except that you may not cover the entire die area/heatspreader if you make some sort of mistake. You do not want to leave part of the heatspreader uncovered. If you cover the entire base of the heatsink, then it is fairly likely that you can bridge some connections that shouldn't be bridged. AS3 is conductive enough that if it is spread between two very close proximity electrical connections it will conduct a charge.

There really aren't any variables that I can think of that would be removed by applying the paste to the base.

I use a fresh, disposable latex glove, and spread the as 3 very thinly with my finger....its incredibly thin and well spread, and its easier for me than the cutting blade..

whe applying as3, if you do not know how much to use, you just used too much.

apply less.

and then, YOU STILL PUT TOO MUCH ON.

put as little as possible, with as much clamping pressure (use a shim!) as possible, for best temps.


dammit, you just put too much on, AGAIN.

try again, use less.

less, man, less.!~!

hey cheng do you do this to the heatspreader or to the base of the heatsink

Treepop - to the AMD CPU core, but when I buy the heatsink I rub it into the base, with a plastic disposable bag ..

TheMightyBuck: Good advice, man. Hahaha.

The best method I've ever found for applying AS3 - I consider it better than AS's official instructions.

You will need:

1. Clean CPU core. (obviously.)
2. Clean HSF surface. (again.)
3. Some AS3 or white gunk or FlavorOfTheMoment. (Really, it doesn't matter that much.
4. Some rigid cellophane (clear plastic), like the sort that is shrunk around cigarette packages. You'll want several pieces (maybe 3 - 5) sized at least 1" square.

Disclaimer: If your CPU and/or HSF are scratched, this won't work well.

Dab the tiniest cutest little splotch of AS3 on the clean sticker-free smudge-free impurity-free HSF surface. By tiniest, I mean about 1/4 of a grain of rice.

Take a piece of the cellophane and gently transfer a little of the thermal compound onto it. (By pressing it into the dab.)

Place the now smeared cellophane against the cpu core, and paint the surface of the core by using alternating circle strokes. WAX ON, WAX OFF! Just like that. Get it in good, all the nooks and crannies. Use the same piece of cellophane to even the coating out, by starting at one end of the cpu core, and painting strokes, all in the same direction, moving to the other end.

You should be left with an even translucent haze of AS3 on the core. If you can see through it, GREAT. Stop with the core. If you can't see through it, you put too much on. Take clean cellophane and continue doing the 'even painting smoothing' technique until you can see through the haze. You'll be left with a lot of silver cellophane if you're using AS3.

Anyway, on to the HSF. Take some new cellophane, and smear the dab that's left all over, in alternating waxonwaxoff circles, into the HSF surface. Yadayadayada nooks and crannies etc. Thin this layer out the same way.

Remember - thermal compound has ONE purpose: It is designed to replace the air that would exist between a CPU core and a heatsink. That's really a small amount of air, so you really only need a small amount of thermal compound.

Anyway, install the HSF, and you're ready to go. Doing it this way has resulted in SIGNIFICANTLY lower temperatures for me than any other method I've ever tried or seen.