Discussion DIY Thermal Paste

[J3J3K1]

So most if not all of us know for a fact that making your own thermal paste at home isn’t ideal for a multitude of reasons but I for one am in really big need for it, while I was cleaning my computer I decided I should re-apply my thermal paste, wiped it off and when everything was said and done that’s when I realized I was out of thermal paste, looked everywhere and I have none, all I found was vicks vaporub and some toothpaste, should I be fine mixing the two while I wait for some more to come in (it’s already on the way) and if so what ratio should I use?

 

[delaro]

Zinc Oxide Cream will last well over a month, the higher the amount of zinc oxide the better.

Aquaphor, Balmex, Boudreaux Butt Paste, Carlesta, COZIMA, Desitin, Desitin Maximum Strength, Desitin Rapid Relief, Diaper Rash, Dr. Smith's, DynaShield, Flanders Buttocks, Medi-Paste, Novana Protect, Triple Paste, Z-Bum.

Vic's is a bad choice as a base, it has too much BS in it that evaporates fast. Vasoline and simple white toothpaste will work but doesn't last more than a few days.

 

[USAFRet]

"should you"?
No.

Can you?
Why are you wanting to?

 

[J3J3K1]

"should you"?
No.

Can you?
Why are you wanting to?

because again, I don’t have immediate access to thermal paste, I have to wait about 2-3 weeks for it to deliver since there’s not local computer hardware store

 

[CountMike]

Thermal paste is high temperature silicon based (although many call it grease) in which molecule sized metal or ceramic particles are in suspension. Silicon itself is insulator but it's there just to contain high percentage of those particles on surfaces.
If proper TIM is not available, any electronic store or service should have some paste used for mounting power transistors and other elements that may not be as good as paste for CPUs but certainly better than all those substitutes of which some could be even worse than nothing !

 

[delaro]

Thermal paste is high temperature silicon based (although many call it grease) in which molecule sized metal or ceramic particles are in suspension. Silicon itself is insulator but it's there just to contain high percentage of those particles on surfaces.
If proper TIM is not available, any electronic store or service should have some paste used for mounting power transistors and other elements that may not be as good as paste for CPUs but certainly better than all those substitutes of which some could be even worse than nothing !

Wal Mart- Some stores carry it, normally you're looking at the larger stores in big cities.
Staples- Some stores carry it.
Best Buy- About half the stores carry it.
Office Depot- About half the stores carry it.
Target-About the same carry it as you would find with Wal-Mart.
Electronics Store Chains- "Radio Shack, Fry's, Micro Center" They will carry it but stores like these are generally limited to big cities.
Local Hardware stores- Rare but some carry an industrial version that comes in a small tube.
Local PC repair shops- They most likely don't carry it to sell but they may give or sell you something they have on hand.

Options in smaller towns are far more limited🤷‍♂️ If I want to buy something like Arctic Silver 5 that would require a 60-mile drive minimum, this is the case for quite a lot of people that don't live in major cities.

On the industrial side, it's the same stuff you find on OEM since they are the ones that manufacture and supply it. Boron-Nitride would be the least effective but anything Zinc Oxide or Aluminum Oxide based is going to be equal to what comes preinstalled. Performance stuff on the pc side can be based around just about anything including ceramic while mixing in silver.