Ive just done some checks and yesterday i successfully blew up:-

1 X MAX232 chip
2 X 1K Resistors (violently)
2 X PIC chips
1 X Tri-color LED
2 X Diodes
1 X USB<>Serial adapter

Not a bad day!

Im making 2 circuits and the other one is now working perfectly. Nothing has blown up yet. I did happen to order spare PIC chips, LEDs etc and i got boxes of 1000 resistors so that all ok but the Maplin store near me only stocks 2 of the MAX232 chips at a time and wont get anymore in till Jan

Does anyone have any interesting ways of removing a chip from a PCB? Unfortunately i didnt have any DIL sockets that fit the MAX232 so now i have to remove it. Anyone have a good way of getting chips out?