# Stylus problems



## bensoelberg (Dec 25, 2011)

I'm not sure whether I did something wrong or not, but neither of the stylus's that I made for Christmas work very well.  In order for them to work, I have to push really, _really_ hard on an IPad screen.  I was hoping that they would be a bit more functional than that.  Anybody else had a similar issue?


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## DSallee (Dec 25, 2011)

I'm not sure it's the stylus itself... a friend of mine gave me one for my phone, an EVO 4G and I have to do the same thing for it to work. Maybe someone else can chime in with more info... I'd like to find something better also.

Dave


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## TomW (Dec 25, 2011)

Ipads and Androids use CAPACITIVE styluses (stilli??).  That means there needs to be an electrical path between the tip and your hand (e.g. you cannot work an Ipad with your finger, if you have gloves on).  Think of the light fixture that you can control by touch, or your SawStop table saw <grin>

Hope this helps.
Tom


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## bensoelberg (Dec 25, 2011)

Just a couple of minutes ago, my sis-in-law figured it out.  In order for it to work, you must touch the trim ring that goes around the rubber tip.  Hopefully that solves any of the problems that anyone else is having.  Just goes to show how tech savvy I am...


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## Gary Beasley (Dec 25, 2011)

Make them with the clip on the tip end and making the circuit gets easy touching the clip while using the stylus. You get this configuration naturally making a combo pen/stylus from a slimline kit.


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## jlord (Dec 25, 2011)

bensoelberg said:


> I'm not sure whether I did something wrong or not, but neither of the stylus's that I made for Christmas work very well.  In order for them to work, I have to push really, _really_ hard on an IPad screen.  I was hoping that they would be a bit more functional than that.  Anybody else had a similar issue?


What material did you use to make your stylus. I just made a handful of them using acrylic & they work well for the smart phones & kids tablets. I use one on my Sprint EVO phone & it's just as responsive as my finger & more accurate typing text messages using an on screen keyboard.


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## Focushere (Dec 29, 2011)

*try this*

Open settings and go to General. Then go to Accessibility. Then scroll down to Assistive Touch and turn it on. Should solve to problem.


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## Focushere (Dec 29, 2011)

*Try This*

Open Settings on your IPad or IPhone and go to General. Then go to Accessibility. Then scroll down to Assistive Touch and turn it on. Should solve the problem.


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## 76winger (Dec 29, 2011)

I've been using one of the CSUSA kits for a few weeks now with no problems, even with the Assistive Touch turned off. And I've not had to be actually touching the metal. I HAVE noticed though, that if I grab the thicker part of the body, it's a little more finickey. For those that like turning fatter mid-sections on the bodies of their pens and such, this might be a problem where you have to actually touch the metal, as it appears the thicker body might play into the equation due to the extra resistance it creates since the material is generally non-conductive. 

I haven't tried any other kits yet, but assume the same would apply.


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## Focushere (Dec 29, 2011)

76winger said:


> I've been using one of the CSUSA kits for a few weeks now with no problems, even with the Assistive Touch turned off. And I've not had to be actually touching the metal. I HAVE noticed though, that if I grab the thicker part of the body, it's a little more finickey. For those that like turning fatter mid-sections on the bodies of their pens and such, this might be a problem where you have to actually touch the metal, as it appears the thicker body might play into the equation due to the extra resistance it creates since the material is generally non-conductive.
> 
> I haven't tried any other kits yet, but assume the same would apply.



I bought my wife a stylus with a metal body. it's was not working well and we turned on the assistive touch. It started working much better. However she said after using it for several months it started acting up again. She doesn't us it anymore. Maybe the tips wear out or something else is going on. She no longer uses it.  That why I haven't turned any.


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## Chasper (Dec 29, 2011)

I've used Square with my Droid for the past year.  Hundreds of customers have signed for their purchases with finger tips and various types of styli.  When customers were having trouble getting their signature to show up early in the year I started experimenting with every capacitive stylus I could find.  No matter what I tried, some people still had trouble.  

Now I make and sell styli from the CSUSA kits as well as from modified commercial styli.  Some people still have trouble using them.  People who are smart phone users tend to have less trouble, they have learned the right touch technique.  It could be that some styli are better than others, but I tend to believe it has more to do with the user than the stylus.

All styli seems to work best when held verticle to the screen and punching letters on a keyboard.  For hand writing, holding it near verticle works better than at 45 degree as in normal handwriting.

A customer came by my booth and asked if the stylus would work with gloves on. I said I didn't think it would work and I picked up a polishing cloth and wrapped it around the stulus; it worked fine.  She put on a glove and picked up the stylus with the polishing cloth wrapped around it and it worked fine for her as well.  She bought two.


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## bensoelberg (Dec 30, 2011)

76winger said:


> I've been using one of the CSUSA kits for a few weeks now with no problems, even with the Assistive Touch turned off. And I've not had to be actually touching the metal. I HAVE noticed though, that if I grab the thicker part of the body, it's a little more finickey. For those that like turning fatter mid-sections on the bodies of their pens and such, this might be a problem where you have to actually touch the metal, as it appears the thicker body might play into the equation due to the extra resistance it creates since the material is generally non-conductive.
> 
> I haven't tried any other kits yet, but assume the same would apply.



Hmm, that may have been part of the problem.  I just bought the bare component set and a set of spare tubes.  I cut a piece of tube about 1/2 an inch long, drilled an appropriate sized hole and glued the tube in.  Then I turned between centers and parted off the end to make closed end stylus's.  The only metal in the thing is the 1/2 inch of tube, plus the actual tip.  Once my sister-in-law figured out that she should touch the metal however, both worked great.  Thanks again for all of the input, both are pretty happy with their stylus now.


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## winpooh498 (Dec 30, 2011)

bensoelberg said:


> Just a couple of minutes ago, my sis-in-law figured it out.  In order for it to work, you must touch the trim ring that goes around the rubber tip.  Hopefully that solves any of the problems that anyone else is having.  Just goes to show how tech savvy I am...



That ring is sharp and is going to scratch up the screen, not an option in my opinion.


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## Dutra (Dec 30, 2011)

Where do you get supplies to make a a stylus? I know CSUSA has a kit but people have talked a bout a slimeline with a stylus on the clip end.
Any specific supplier for a stylus tip for this?


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## winpooh498 (Dec 30, 2011)

We have the CSUSA tips, we didn't use a pen kit with ours and it seems to just take some "getting used too"


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## GoatRider (Dec 30, 2011)

Dutra said:


> Where do you get supplies to make a a stylus? I know CSUSA has a kit but people have talked a bout a slimeline with a stylus on the clip end.
> Any specific supplier for a stylus tip for this?



PSI has them. They were backordered for awhile, but I think they're back now.


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## bensoelberg (Dec 30, 2011)

winpooh498 said:


> bensoelberg said:
> 
> 
> > Just a couple of minutes ago, my sis-in-law figured it out.  In order for it to work, you must touch the trim ring that goes around the rubber tip.  Hopefully that solves any of the problems that anyone else is having.  Just goes to show how tech savvy I am...
> ...



Sorry I didn't clarify, the trim ring isn't touching the screen, she is touching the trim ring with her finger. The ring serves as a type of conductor between the person and the rubber tip.


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## oneula (Dec 30, 2011)

I made about 20-30 of these thingsfor xmas using the credit card pen kit from PSi and the stylus tip from CUSA. I also made a bunch using the 1-3/4" scrap cuts of my blanks and the tip and earphone connector fro CUSA it makes a real nice small stylus they can plug in to the 3.5MM earphone hole of their phone or tablet and not lose it. A perfect size for the phone a standalone stylus. Otherwise a pen/stylus combo is the best.

I converted a bunch of leftover chrome acrylic slimlines with stylus caps and they seem the best compromise as they use standard over the counter refills. On the credit card pens I supplied a refill with every pen since the refills aren't that easy to get.

I also used the 7mm pre-drilled pearlessance white blank from PSI which seems to match the whole white iphone crowd. The females especially liked the small pearl pen/stylus combo. You have to keep them around $15-$20 which is the going rate for these things everywhere else. They made great last minute stocking stuffers this year, i was surprised how popular they were. I think I'll do some in breast cancer pink as well this year. That seems to be another popular coloe with the ladies.

oh by the way for an extra $5-$10 I threw one of the micro phone stylus's in with any acrylic twist pen purchase this christmas. seemed like a nice combo. Buy a pen and get a stylus for not that much more.


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## Dutra (Dec 30, 2011)

I found the stylus/pen kits on PSI, but is there anywhere i can get just the stylus part to convert the clip end into a stylus?


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## oneula (Dec 30, 2011)

CUSA sells just the stylus tips.
Just remove the cap from the clip end and replace it with the stylus(3 piece kit).
Be sure to get the press bushing so you can insert the metal ring into place to lock in the foam piece.

People have been making their own home made sylus using the special non static foam the supply to pack and ship electrical components.


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## bitshird (Dec 30, 2011)

Ben, I just bought a bunch of the tips and a couple of the press bushings, I couldn't see springing for the whole kit. I made mine by cutting a piece of 7mm tube about 4 inches long, did it not quite B2B, but when I hold the stylus the clip touches my hand and makes the connection, Andrew made one using a slimline kit and has a pen and stylus in one,
If you don't leave a lot of wood near the end of the rubber / silicone thingy. it will work with out touching metal ring


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## oneula (Dec 30, 2011)

converted slimline







combo using scrap for stylus


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