I usually solder SMD IC into DIP sockets with turned sockets. I place the IC "in the air" about a centimeter above the socket. I put 0,4 or 0,5 mm wires in the sockets, and bend them to get in contact with the IC pins from below. Then it is easy to solder them to the pin ends. If it is SOP i let all wires in from below. If it is a MSOP/SSOP I bend every other pin upwards using a fine plier. First i solder all unbent pins to corresponding wires by the above method, then mount hte other wires and solder to the up-bent pins, wires entering horisontally. The power pins I let pass the joint to th eIC, and solder decoupling cap above IC. Maybe some other components also, and pin-pin interconnections. I usually end up needing less pins on the DIP socket than are on the IC. Sometimes I dont use sockets on the protoboard, byt wires directly to the SMD IC placed about a cm above the board. Works perfectly. /Morgan -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads