Re-programming SM PICS on small PCBs

I thought I would share a tip for reprogramming surface mount PICs on a circuit board.

I design a lot of very tiny battery powered projects that use 8-pin PICS and often have to develop or modify the code for these boards. I have learned that you can carefully place the chip on the board and then secure it with a small plastic spring clamp for testing the code. It is then very simple to remove and re-program. You may find it necessary to bend the leads down slightly to ensure good contact, do this very carefully to ensure they stay perfectly parallel. This saves the board space for a programming connector and is almost as easy as using a ZIF socket. See photos:
Attachment 5343

Attachment 5344