Here are a couple thoughts for anyone interested.

First - the metal barrel. I had success with two kinds. One was an old metal barrel pen. It was anodized aluminum and I had to remove the anodized finish for proper conductance. The second - far cooler - is an old Xacto knife. Shined it up nicely. Also does a good job of taking those big rubber things for your hand - I hate skinny pens and always add something to give me better grip.

Second - the tip. This has been driving me nuts. Like many others, I can't stand the big fat tip on commercial styli. So I started to make much smaller tips, internally reinforced with rubber and other resilient yet stiff materials. I made several that looked great, held the tip shape well - but didn't function on the screen. After hours and hours, I think I figured it out - I believe that the stylus must have a minimum surface area to work correctly. I don't know the exact measurement, but it is pretty close to those fat points on commercial styli. So while you may be able to make a slightly smaller tip, you can't go too much smaller or it won't function.

I have done some research into materials other than the foam and am requesting some samples. While I don't think that the conductivity of the material will change the surface area requirement, I am going to fart around with it anyway.

I need professional help.....

I'm subscribing just to see what you come up with

Cool project! Think about conductive foam that they ship microchips in. We vave a ton at work, but our version is kind of crumbly.

I am trying to find a suitable alternative to that foam. That is the hard part.

Photos of your progress?

This sounds like fun. Keep spending the time.

CM

I just use a finger.
Its cheaper than anything else and always works.

You could try some wire glue on various objects. It's definitely conductive but I'm not sure how well it would play with the screen. I'd recommend mixing with a machine for a nice smooth coating. Maybe it's conductive enough to be covered in another material like microfiber and still work?

Originally Posted by Matth3w

I'm subscribing just to see what you come up with

:shakehand:

I read somewhere that electrostatic bags work well. Just roll one up into a thin tube and it works well. I of course was unable to find one to test this with just as soon as I started looking for one...

Wire glue has been tested and works like a charm. Video proof. Works on thick gloves as well. I used it on a paintbrush. Just pick out any bit that stick out while drying and it is fine for the screen.