Hallo Donald,

on my thermal grease from 'Thermalloy Inc. Dallas Texas' you will find the line:

"Apply thin, even coating to mating surfaces. After making joint secure, remove excess compound with solvent."

It's not us professionals, who are unable to read, but it's the manufacturer, who doesn't make useful recommendations!

It's just wrong to recommend: "Apply thin, remove excess compound", because if you follow the recommendation of Steve, namely to "apply a thin, virtually translucent smear", then there wouldn't be any need to "remove excess compound". So, to "remove excess compound" already implies to take more thermal grease than needed...

Also, manufacturer does not directly tell you, that thermal grease is transfering heat about 1000 times worse, than a bare joint. They make you believe, that it's only the thermal grease which makes the heat transfer.
I have seen some illustration pictures several years ago, where a manufacturer of thermal grease demonstrated how to apply thermal grease, and you could see him applying thermal grease on the heatsink, like someone is putting butter on his bread...
If you put too much thermal grease on a heat sink, then even with pressing it onto chip case, you won't be able to remove it again! This is especially valid if involved surfaces are large. Make a try yourself. When you have applied anything more than a "virtually translucent smear", situation becomes hopeless.

Kai