Jeremy Harris
100 MW
Yes, the thermal compound needs to be on both sides on the insulator. Just a very thin smear, as it's not a great thermal conductor; its job is to fill the very tiny voids that would otherwise contain air, which is a very poor thermal conductor,
As for a place to buy insulators and thermal compound, that depends on where on the planet you are, as they are cheap items where shipping cost will likely outweigh the material cost. Here I tend to buy from RS or Farnell, but if you're in another country then you might need to find a more local supplier. For example, I believe that Digikey and Mouser are reliable suppliers for those in North America, and places like Conrad are good if you're in mid-Europe.
As for a place to buy insulators and thermal compound, that depends on where on the planet you are, as they are cheap items where shipping cost will likely outweigh the material cost. Here I tend to buy from RS or Farnell, but if you're in another country then you might need to find a more local supplier. For example, I believe that Digikey and Mouser are reliable suppliers for those in North America, and places like Conrad are good if you're in mid-Europe.