Hi,

> I have a bunch of smt SOIC PICS (12c508/16f84) to programme. The only socket
> I have seen to take them costs £60 ($100)!

I know, I bought an expensive socket.  On the plus side this socket I
bought will take almost any SMT package.

> Can anyone suggest a lost cost way other than hand crafting some form of
> multipin clip?

For some SMT packages it's possible to get cheap open top sockets
where you put the chip on it and then pop a cover on top of that.  I
couldn't find one to fit a 12C508 but maybe for the 16f84 you could.

www.edi-adapters.com have a universal adapter for $60 but bad service
to go with it, I tried to order from them but gave up eventually.

www.enplas.com also have sockets, I've gotten nowhere with them
either but maybe you'll have better luck.  The part number for the
12C508 socket is: FP-8(16H)-1.27-06

(I don't know why I'm giving all these bad service companies free
publicity (-: )...

There were some other names in my head but I can't access them at
the moment :-) give your local sockets guy a call.

If you want to program these on the board but avoid the in-circuit
programming resistors etc. you can expose the relevant signals
somewhere on your board (finger on the edge or holes) and do the
assembly in two steps. 1) solder just the PICs  2) program  3) solder
the rest.

If you follow the SMT clip way someone suggested you should know the
3M SO8 clip (thats in the Digikey catalog) will not go on a 12C508,
it's too wide...  make sure your clip/package fits the chips
physically.

Hope this helps,
Guy - mlsirton@inter.net.il