On Mon, 1 Mar 1999 17:55:57 -0000, you wrote:

>I have a bunch of smt SOIC PICS (12c508/16f84) to programme. The only socket
>I have seen to take them costs £60 ($100)!
>
>Can anyone suggest a lost cost way other than hand crafting some form of
>multipin clip?
>
>Stuart
A SO IC test-clip, wired to a DIL header works pretty well, use the
black  3M ones, not the blue ITT-Pomona ones, which are crap.
Farnell do them - 178-278 (8 pin, ukp8.25), 178-282 (20 pin,
ukp11.12). You can get 18 pin ones, but I can't remember where from.
Farnell also do SO ZIF sockets (catalogue p.1443), which you can use
to make a programming adaptor.