Easy Touch-Pad Stylus

There are many Instructables on how to make an Stylus. Well, I'd like to add to the pool and publish one myself. I saw how to do this from a video by Collin Cunningham from Makezine. It is his idea, not mine. I figured that it should be made into an Instructable. Enjoy!

Remove these ads by Signing Up

Step 1: Video!

esmeatsix says: Apr 2, 2012. 11:11 AM

thankyou! I've made one and it's worked really well! I used gold woven wire so it looks decent as well. I didn't have any conductive foam and couldn't order online but I went to Maplins and found some there :) Only problem now is that the rest of my family is pestering me to make them one!

mmdr1299 says: Nov 8, 2011. 7:14 PM

Hi, Do you know if this would work as mouthstick? I have a user that I work with who has a physical disability and draws using his mouth. I ma not sure about the safety/conductivity with using the mouth. Any info you can provide would be great.

Caleb Nehrbass says: Oct 29, 2011. 1:26 PM

This is funny, I made an almost similar one, it works a lot and you don't need work so hard. http://www.instructables.com/id/Touchscreen-Stylus/

gcoma says: Jun 28, 2011. 4:42 PM

This is BRILLIANT! :D I want to try!

mr.incredible says: May 7, 2010. 7:29 PM

I was wondering where the conductive foam came from. Obviously not wondering enough to look it up. Nice 'ible.
If you used a metal pen you wouldn't need the wire on the outside. Stainless would be pretty. Just make sure you strip any varnish off the outside and where the foam touches the barrel.

fruitkid101 (author) in reply to mr.incredibleMay 7, 2010. 10:54 PM

Hey thanks! Great idea for the pen. The stainless steel sounds good too. It wouldn't have to be a pen though, you could just go out and buy a small stainless steel tube. A quarter inch diameter would be perfect.

You can buy conductive foam online. If you are familiar with the makershed or adafruit industries or solarbotics, or any electronic kit-selling site, they package their micro controllers in conductive foam. I think its to be an anti-static or something.

Cheers!

dombeef in reply to fruitkid101Feb 21, 2011. 1:58 PM

Well thats odd, I was looking at this instructable, and i reminded me of a kit I ordered in 2006. I though it should have had some of that special foam in it but the electronics were only in regular foam.
I found some antistatic bags from my motherboard and i cut a piece and it works fine

mAd tinker3r says: Feb 20, 2011. 4:44 PM

Can this scratch the screen?

fruitkid101 (author) in reply to mAd tinker3rFeb 20, 2011. 6:47 PM

Not in the slightest :)

Apple_4_life says: Jun 19, 2010. 7:41 PM

this is awesome man!

danyforreal says: May 25, 2010. 5:34 AM

I don't work with electronics so I have no reason to order from the maker shed to acquire foam from it's packaging. I looked up conductive foam and I get a myriad of sites that sell that stuff but I don't know if I should be looking for a certain type of material. Could somebody link me to a site that has the stuff I need? I really want to make a few of these for myself and my family.

fruitkid101 (author) in reply to danyforrealMay 25, 2010. 10:09 AM

Sure! Here is a link. http://www.hvwtech.com/products_view.asp?ProductID=525&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Product+Search&utm_campaign=Product+Search+%28May10%29

You can get a whole sheet for just like 5bucks and it will last you years. No I'm not kidding, one of these sheets can get you a whole lot of stylii.

Have fun making these for your folks!

danyforreal in reply to fruitkid101May 26, 2010. 8:53 AM

Gracias!! I'll post some of my creations!