Easy Touch-Pad Stylus
Intro: 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!
STEP 1: Video!
STEP 2: Stuff
This is pretty simple. All you need is:
Materials:
-Cheap Pen
-Wire
-Conductive Foam. This is the most important piece! ( if you buy a kit from the makershed, adafruit, etc that comes with a micro-controller, the foam is the stuff that protects the chip pins.)
Tools:
-Tape
-Scissors
-(Opt) Wire Strippers
Materials:
-Cheap Pen
-Wire
-Conductive Foam. This is the most important piece! ( if you buy a kit from the makershed, adafruit, etc that comes with a micro-controller, the foam is the stuff that protects the chip pins.)
Tools:
-Tape
-Scissors
-(Opt) Wire Strippers
STEP 3: Pen Prep
The main body of the stylus is a pen. Disassemble the pen completely. Throw away everything except the tube. My back end did not come off so I had to take scissors to it.
STEP 4: Conductive Foam
Now that you have your pen ready, take your conductive foam and grab an object with a touch screen. Hold one end of the foam and try using it on the touch-screen. If it's conductive it'll work like your finger. If it works, cut a piece of foam slightly thicker than your pen tube.
STEP 5: Prepare the Wire
This step is pretty easy. Strip the insulation off of the last 2" of the wire.
STEP 6: Foam + Wire
Now that all your pieces are ready to go, it's time to assemble:
Thread the un-insulated wire though the top of the conductive foam. After that, tightly wrap the wire around the top of the foam.
Thread the un-insulated wire though the top of the conductive foam. After that, tightly wrap the wire around the top of the foam.
STEP 7: Into the Pen
Now take the foam-wire and thread it through the front of the pen tube. Pull the foam through as well but leave about a quarter inch on the outside.
STEP 8: Wire...Again
After all that, it's time to strip all the rest of the wire that comes out the back-end of the tube. What you do now is secure the wire with a small strip of tape.
STEP 9: Wire Wrap
Now what you do is wrap the un-insulated wire around the tube. Next, tape the wire down near the front of the pen to secure it.
STEP 10: Foam...Again
Grab your scissors and carefully cut the foam's corners in such a way that it forms a dome.
STEP 11: Clean Up
It's now a good time to clean up the mess you made...if any,
STEP 12: Test
You are all done! It's time to test it out.
STEP 13: Done!
Great job! This is a really fun and simple project. If you do end up building this, feel free to post pictures! I'd love to see them. When using, make sure that your finger(s) are in contact with the wire. This is essential! Have Fun!
13 Comments
esmeatsix 12 years ago
mmdr1299 12 years ago
Caleb Nehrbass 12 years ago
gcoma 12 years ago
mr.incredible 13 years ago
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 13 years ago
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 13 years ago
I found some antistatic bags from my motherboard and i cut a piece and it works fine
mAd tinker3r 13 years ago
fruitkid101 13 years ago
Apple_4_life 13 years ago
danyforreal 13 years ago
fruitkid101 13 years ago
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 13 years ago