iPad Stylus

[saberahul]

Went through a lot of research on products such as the Pogo or others (forgot names) and thought why not simply make one of my own. Below you will find pics of what I made, note that the Black&Silver one is what I truly intended for and the short silver is just a 30 second job.
Here are the instructions:
1. Grab a metal pen (Metal conducts electricity and hence it's easiest). If none available, grab a plastic pen and a metal wire.
2. Go to your kitchen sink and find some Scotch Brite Sponge.
3. Cut the thick soft lighter color side into a rectangular piece slightly wider than the pen opening. You will notice that the Black Pen took me over 2 hours as the hole is less than 2 mm in diameter and was impossible to get the foam through in a stable fashion.
4. Insert the foam and make it secure by filling the hollow space with more foam or w.e you wish.
5. Trim the ball in front and make sure the rim of the bottom of pen is also touching the foam as to not scratch the screen or cause erosion.
6. Fly away drawing like a pro on paper!

P.S. You should make sure that the foam is indeed conductive by holding the foam and moving on your iPad screen. It should work.

 

[saberahul]

No opinions? Lol.

 

[TheBritishBloke]

Interesting idea.. But wouldn't the material you used scratch the screen or at least give it hairline marks?

 

[appleguy123]

Interesting idea.. But wouldn't the material you used scratch the screen or at least give it hairline marks?

A sponge?

 

[TheBritishBloke]

A sponge?

No. It appears he used the rougher part of a washing sponge.. Which consists of many fibres similar to hair, which therefore could cause hairline damage to the screen theoretically?

 

[saberahul]

Interesting idea.. But wouldn't the material you used scratch the screen or at least give it hairline marks?

You may be thinking of the corrosive side of the sponge. I'm using the soft side which is very soft to the touch and can no way scratch the screen. In the last 8 or so hours of using it (yes I have been drawing a lot lol) it hasn't troubled me at all, as in be hard to slide on screen or anything. Nevertheless, I trimmed the ball on the tip of pen so it cannot leave any hairlines or sponge residue.

I'm quite sure in my original post I mentioned the soft side... if not then I'll add it in there

Edit: There ya go, made it bold in step #3.

 

[appleguy123]

No. It appears he used the rougher part of a washing sponge.. Which consists of many fibres similar to hair, which therefore could cause hairline damage to the screen theoretically?

That's not the rougher part. I have a sponge like that, and the blue is the soft part.

 

[prot0type]

Personally, I have no use for a stylus at this time, still it's probably a great alternative to shelling out $15+ for something that does the same thing using items already around the house.

I'm curious if you're using a screen protector at all.

 

[saberahul]

Personally, I have no use for a stylus at this time, still it's probably a great alternative to shelling out $15+ for something that does the same thing using items already around the house.

I'm curious if you're using a screen protector at all.

No, I am not using any screen protector. The screen is strong enough to take your nail hits without getting scratched and this is far softer. I needed a writing pen to take a lot of meeting notes, it is somewhat disrespectful to have to keep looking down at the keyboard to type your notes. A pen works far better. The only thing I'm looking for now is a great app with audio compatibility and the top 2 choice are penultimate and notetaker pro.

 

[Red5403]

When I was researching DIY styli about a month ago, I came across a suggestion for using a Scotch Brite sponge, and completely forgot about that until now. And while you'd think it wouldn't work, the other thing I read said it worked great. It is nice to see how you made yours and what they look like. I think I'll run to the store now... (the foam in my pogo seems like it is going to rip, or it smashes sideways, so I wonder if this foam is a little more sturdy, while also gentle enough for the screen)

 

[saberahul]

When I was researching DIY styli about a month ago, I came across a suggestion for using a Scotch Brite sponge, and completely forgot about that until now. And while you'd think it wouldn't work, the other thing I read said it worked great. It is nice to see how you made yours and what they look like. I think I'll run to the store now... (the foam in my pogo seems like it is going to rip, or it smashes sideways, so I wonder if this foam is a little more sturdy, while also gentle enough for the screen)

I personally haven't even seen the Pogo Sketch, forget using it, so I cannot tell you if this is better or not in terms of sturdiness. I've been using it for the past 2 days now and it seems to be working great so far. When did you start using the Pogo pen?

 

[MrWillie]

But it doesn't have a camera. When the stylus for android comes out, I betcha it will have a built in camera.

 

[Red5403]

I personally haven't even seen the Pogo Sketch, forget using it, so I cannot tell you if this is better or not in terms of sturdiness. I've been using it for the past 2 days now and it seems to be working great so far. When did you start using the Pogo pen?

I think I bought the Pogo about a month ago when I couldn't find capacitive foam locally and didn't want to wait for shipping it to me (patience is not one of my virtues). I mainly bought it for writing, not necessarily drawing. I like the feeling of actual writing vs. typing, especially when journaling or brainstorming, so I bought it to see how I'd like it. I haven't used it all that much, but when I have, I've been fairly pleased with it. My only issue is that when writing, it seems like the foam gets pushed to the other side (kind of hard to describe) and I rotate the pen/pogo so that the foam is centered under the pogo body. Probably clear as mud, huh?

I've been wanting to make my own styli for several reasons... 1. Cost to buy more Pogo's if I want more than one 2. Cost to replace a pogo if I lose it. 3. And it is just plain cool to make a DIY widget than to take the "easy" route and buy one. I mean, how original is that?

 

[saberahul]

I think I bought the Pogo about a month ago when I couldn't find capacitive foam locally and didn't want to wait for shipping it to me (patience is not one of my virtues). I mainly bought it for writing, not necessarily drawing. I like the feeling of actual writing vs. typing, especially when journaling or brainstorming, so I bought it to see how I'd like it. I haven't used it all that much, but when I have, I've been fairly pleased with it. My only issue is that when writing, it seems like the foam gets pushed to the other side (kind of hard to describe) and I rotate the pen/pogo so that the foam is centered under the pogo body. Probably clear as mud, huh?

I've been wanting to make my own styli for several reasons... 1. Cost to buy more Pogo's if I want more than one 2. Cost to replace a pogo if I lose it. 3. And it is just plain cool to make a DIY widget than to take the "easy" route and buy one. I mean, how original is that?

Yes, I was too under the impression that the foam may get pushed sideways. What I did was fill the inside of both pens with a lot of foam and then pushed the tip in so they attach and it becomes sturdy. Maybe the pogo is just glued on the tip area.
I made my styli for the exact reasons as yours and so far I'm happy with my work and effort
Seeing mine, you can probably make yours prettier by not adding electrical tape or something. Do post if you make!

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

I'd KILL for an honest-to-god bluntly pointed stylii that would work on the iPad. Sadly, the Pogo and this idea are both just fat blobs. I want something that will provide a higher degree of precision, but I guess Steve-O thinks Apple users are a bunch of fat fingered slobs for the most part.

 

[saberahul]

I'd KILL for an honest-to-god bluntly pointed stylii that would work on the iPad. Sadly, the Pogo and this idea are both just fat blobs. I want something that will provide a higher degree of precision, but I guess Steve-O thinks Apple users are a bunch of fat fingered slobs for the most part.

You know I can make this very pointy with some superglue to support the foam. I tried it initially and tried this but the way the circle is trimmed on this... it works like a sharp pencil. I can get very accurate with this... but then again if you need to just shape it pointy. It's really not that hard.

 

[doodude]

Too ugly for serious consideration when you you can purchase a working, not so ugly stylus from almost anywhere for next to nothing.

High marks for ingenuity though...

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

You know I can make this very pointy with some superglue to support the foam. I tried it initially and tried this but the way the circle is trimmed on this... it works like a sharp pencil. I can get very accurate with this... but then again if you need to just shape it pointy. It's really not that hard.

I've got a Pogo and as tiny of a pad as it has (smaller than your pics I think), it still far too fat for me. I want to be able to do line drawings and I just can't seem to get it to work without constantly zooming in my image.

 

[bevo]

tried it out. works ok.

Still hoping the boxwave stylus I ordered works better. But can't complain...

Just had to endear the jars from my girlfriend calling me a nerd

 

[Battlestar]

According to Steve Jobs the stylus is the most inefficient method of input possible.

 

[saberahul]

Well, thanks to all for the kind remarks.

I'm indifferent about the looks as I need something to write with for my notes for class/meetings, especially for an app like Notes Plus (which I find to be the best note-taking app hands down. Have tried almost all of them and this is the only one which I truly recommend for anyone who has to type a lot, take precise notes [zoom writing like Note Taker HD but better], and with the upcoming audio recording feature - it gets even better).
In terms of very precise use such as line drawing, I need to be able to write within small lines to fit the 9.7" screen with my notes and Notes Plus allows me to do that - unless there is some other use where very high precision is required, then I can suggest filling in the metal cylinder with foam and trimming the tip to be as sharp as a pencil [in order to maintain it's shape you will need to make the surrounding part stiff with super glue but make sure the very tip isn't so that you don't scratch the screen]. I needed something to do my work without constantly have to buy a new product and accomplished it.
To whoever mentioned that S. Jobs thinks that styli are the most inefficient method of input possible, he meant it as an attack to touch devices such as the old Palms' or the HP Pocket PC's; regardless of what he thinks, I made this for a very specific purpose of having take a lot of notes and so far I'm extremely happy with it.

 

[kdarling]

According to Steve Jobs the stylus is the most inefficient method of input possible.

He never said that. In fact, the iPhone requires a stylus and is useless without one, unlike other phones with cursor pads etc.

No, his whole point was that we're born with ten stylii on our two hands. In other words, we can use our own natural flesh-based stylus

Being the sort of salesman he is, though, he had to put down the alternative. So he brought up having to store or tether a normal stylus:

"So what are we going to do? Oh, a stylus, right? We're going to use a stylus. No. Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus. So let's not use a stylus. - Jobs MacWorld Jan 2007"

It would be nice to have a nice accurate stylus option. After all, we don't use paintbrushes to sign checks, and we don't use fingerpaint to draw engineering diagrams.

 

[Relg3!]

lol OP i made one of these with the skeloton of a dry ball point pen,some gum tin wrappers, and clear tape (also electrical tape and I AM LOVING IT)

 

[saberahul]

lol OP i made one of these with the skeloton of a dry ball point pen,some gum tin wrappers, and clear tape (also electrical tape and I AM LOVING IT)

Lol. There isn't a gum tin wrapper (?) or clear tape (?) there is however electrical tape

 

[KarmaRocket]

According to Steve Jobs the stylus is the most inefficient method of input possible.

Apparently Steve Jobs doesn't like to draw. or write quick notes in meetings. or write quick messages on top of documents. This is where the iPad could really take off for students and business.

sketching with my finger is ok I guess.

I'd have more control with pen input.