DIY Touchpad Stylus
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Introduction: DIY Touchpad Stylus
See the horrible but functional video:
Step 1: Steps 1-5
you'll need
= a standard dishwashing sponge [others might not work as well, I tried].
= a bic pen [or another pen with a somewhat bendy/soft plastic shaft]
= a metal rod [I got mine from a broken umbrella of which there are plenty in nyc]
= a cigarette lighter or maybe matches.
1]
pull off the tip of the pen [unscrew it, yank it, torque it, whatever]
take out its insides so that all you have left is the tube and the tip
2]
using the lighter heat up the end of your metal rod [maybe hold the rod with paper or something so you don't get burnt]
3]
shove the hot tip of your metal rod through the plastic near where the tip goes on.
shove it in so that the metal rod sticks into the area that the pen tip will cover when you put it back on.
4]
put the pen tip back on [it should have a hole instead of an ink thingy at the tip at this point]
5]
shove as big a piece of sponge as you can into the tip. If a lot hangs out, snip it off with scissors.
Step 2: Steps 6-8
6]
if you want you can tape the metal rod to the pen shaft to make it flush, but don't cover the metal, your hand will have to make contact with it for this to work.
7]
dip the sponge tipped pen into water.
8]
commence drawing on your touchpad:
=======NOTE:========
your hand has to be touching the metal rod, and the metal rod tip has to be touching the wet sponge.
====================
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44 Comments
6 years ago on Introduction
Seems a bit risky to use water on a electrical device, but I suppose it'd do if you had... literally no money...
I discovered [by accident] that the soft tip stylus for iphone, ipad, etc, work great. At least on my dell
6 years ago on Introduction
Seems a bit risky to use water on a electrical device, but I suppose it'd do if you had... literally no money...
I discovered [by accident] that the soft tip stylus for iphone, ipad, etc, work great. At least on my dell
13 years ago on Introduction
You all seem to be blowing this "Conducting Electricity" thing far out of proportion. What conducts elecrtricity? Metal does. Does metal need to be wet to conduct electricity? No it does not. Do what I do and simply wrap a bit of aluminium foil around the base and the hold-area of the pen. This gives you the connection between electricity from fingers -- aluminium foil -- base aluminium foil -- laptop touchpad. It works and I have been doing it ever since I figured it. I only figured it out when I got a tunnocks tea cake cover [which is also foil] stuck to the top of my finger. I never noticed and was still managing to move the pointer around. There is absolutely no need to introduce water to an electrical-based item. That would be stupidity.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
i tried simply wrapping foil around the pen and it dodnt work!!! what am i doing wrong??
Reply 7 years ago on Introduction
did you touch the aluminum and make sure the aluminum touches the computer
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
wait nvm i got it
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
pppsssttttt.... just spit on it...u dont have to have a cup of water by ur keyboard all da time
8 years ago on Step 2
Awesome!
9 years ago on Introduction
Easiest way I've found to make a stylus is to take a q-tip & wrap in aluminum foil with about half of the cotton part sticking out. Get the cotton part damp & use it while holding the foil. Seems to work for me... Hope this helps someone...
10 years ago on Introduction
i have a Samsung Wave 525 and i am using a homemade stylus. only the negative side of a battery touching the touch pad and the positive side on your fingers. sorry for the bad english..
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
I find that gripping my index finger between thumb and middle finger gives me the control I want from a stylus without the fuss.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
great idea, works well
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
you are a genius
11 years ago on Introduction
WHAT I DID:
uses CONDUCTIVE SPONGE [a graphite embedded sponge]
and the filled my pen tip with it, made into same SHAPE as FINGER.
Thank you guys for putting all the ideas into my head.
-anoop
11 years ago on Introduction
When I saw a few of the ideas, i made one up with stuff around my dest and the way i found was to take a AAA battery and tape it to a gum wrapper, foil wrapper, and - end against the foil, also you have to tape/fold it so that the battery is touching the foil and the foil touches the pad, then just make your own extention at the other end of the battery, works great!
Thanks for the ideas!!
11 years ago on Introduction
So, after experimenting with the ideas shared in the comments, and the instructable above, I ended up hitting on a VERY simple touchpad stylus:
a small plastic bag with a teaspoon of water in a corner, rubberbanded around an old pen. Works great on the the touchpad for my netbook. Turns out, no metal conductor to my hand is necessary. I am using it for drawing graphic novels on the computer.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to the discussion, the stylus allows much more control over the drawings!
11 years ago on Introduction
//www.instructables.com/id/CHEAP-FAST-AND-STYLISH-IPAD-STYLUS-cost-me-0-aga/
here look at my stylus for ipads and iphones+ ipod
it works with my dell inspiron touchpad too
11 years ago on Introduction
I USE A SPOON! hehe. a spoon, no fancyness, id use a fork but im scared of the pointyness. i have a macbook and it worksss like supa well.
11 years ago on Introduction
You can use conductive sponge you know these things under the new IC's this foam thingy instead of a sponge
11 years ago on Introduction
If you don't have a sponge, I've found that paper towels [and even toilet paper] wadded into a small ball will work fine.