Piggy back socket for SMT components?

[Tom61]

Basically I have a 16 pin (I think,I'll double check later) surface mount chip (square chip, four pins on each side) that I want to connect to, but I'm not that good with soldering, and easy removal would be a huge plus.

I need to know if something like I want exists, and, if so, what it is called.

[hemphacker]

Yeah, they have them, but they're usually not all that cheap (to me atleast), but different SM chips have different pin spacing etc... Do you know what the package type is? (PLCC, TQFP, etc... would be in the documentation on the chip) I don't know if there's a specific name for the sockets (except the term 'socket' itself), but the version designed for 'through hole' chips are ususally called ZIF sockets (zero insertion force or something like that) DigiKey sells them, along with other companies, like maybe JameCo.

[Tom61]

would be in the documentation on the chip

Don't have that... I don't even have the manufacturer's name for sure, just that it was made in Darfor, Germany.

Do you know what the package type is?

Could you tell from a picture? I have some pictures of what I'm playing with that I could upload

[matt]

Look for "surf boards".  Many electronics shops carry them.

[hemphacker]

"surf boards" still require soldering...

[phreak97]

are you thinking "bread boards" ?

[hemphacker]

surfboard is a pcb a company came up with that has pads for surface mount parts and pads or pins to plug into another device or to solder wires to.

[matt]

"surf boards" still require soldering...

Sounds painful.

[Darklegion]

There is a guide for soldering surface mount chips here:
http://warmcat.com/milksop/milksop.html
Thats not the exact link but there should be a soldering guide on there somewhere,I can't get the site to load a the moment.Also I have a good video showing some american soldering a smt chip in...he makes it look bloody easy btw
I never tried these methods as i've yet to use any smt chips,but this could be useful.

Also I'm not 100% on what your asking here but if you plan on using a socket,the socket is still going to have to be soldered in and the pins will be the same size as the actual chip,i.e it will be just as difficult a job.Could save your chip though,and being able to swap in other chips is a bonus.They shouldn't be too expensive,yours sounds like a plcc chip....don't know if they have zif types of these.If not the old screwdriver method works well if you need to remove them,or a plcc extractor for about 5US is useful.

edit:I forgot to give you a link to the surface mount vid:
www.kevinro.com/newdocs/learningcenter/surface.htm