Post images

OK, I have battled with this for quite awhile… time to ask some questions.

There are certain pages/posts where I don’t want to set a featured image because I have a Meta Slider or Video. But, I still need to have a thumbnail to represent the post in other places on the site.

If I add a featured image it automatically throws in a full width image at the top of the post/page bumping down my slideshow or video. I know that ‘sometimes’ I have been able to associate an image with a post then delete it and the thumbnail still shows elsewhere, like in related posts etc.

I can’t seem to get it straight with how I got it to work sometimes and other times not. I have added media to the post so that its associated, then deleted it from the post, leaving the image in the media gallery still associated. It works sometimes and other times not.

Is there a procedure that I can follow all the time that I know works? this is driving me mad.