skillet, a trick I use with non-adhesive thermal compound is to apply just enough thermal compound to coat the metal underside of the emitter, taking care not to get any compound onto the black plastic ring that surrounds the metal slug.
Then, after positioning the slug on the sink, I dip a toothpick in cyanoacrylate (use your favorite superglue of choice), and use the toothpick to 'feed' it into the little gap between the plastic and the heatsink or mounting surface. A low-viscosity glue is highly recommended so it will flow into the crack. You need not use too much. Take care to keep it centered. Usually, I apply a dot to each side, re-center it while the glue is still liquid, and wait for it to dry. Then I can add more glue without the emitter floating all over the place. Add glue until you're happy. You can even go crazy and fill the entire gap if you want, I don't do that but I make sure there's glue across all sides of the emitter, wherever I can reach. Never had an emitter break off, even in the MicroMag application where the reflector places stress directly on the emitter itself. I use a little more glue for that one. Cyanoacrylate can be crazy tough, I found out the day I bonded a Q4H Lux1 star to a metal heatsink - I ain't gonna try removing that one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I've used this trick very successfully on many, many lights, ranging from MagDs with Hotlips to MagC Hotlips/LuxVs, a dozen sandwiches, and even my Mag3X (although with stars it's a little different, but easier). Never bought a single tube of AA Epoxy in my life /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
