FYI about stylus

[Mason Kuettel]

Just thought I would throw out this bit of information about the stylus tips...don't try tubeless! 3 hours down the drain...the thing looked pretty good, too.

Too bad it didn't work!

 

[bmlewis]

needs the brass tube for the capacitive effect

 

[Mason Kuettel]

needs the brass tube for the capacitive effect

I figured. I guess my thought was the capacitive properties came from the tip assembly, not the tube it was in. Guess I'll try again tomorrow!

 

[Chatham PenWorks]

You don't need the tube.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f45/stubby-stylus-100506/

 

[Mason Kuettel]

You don't need the tube.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f45/stubby-stylus-100506/

My experience says otherwise! My guess is your clips provided the proper amount of capacitance. I made a 5 inch long "pen" body and put the stylus on the nib end. Didn't work unless I was touching the metal by the tip.

Good idea on the clip, by the way.

 

[Carl Fisher]

There must be some form of metal (brass tube is ideal) that connects the region you hold to the stylus tip. You don't have to touch the metal, but for the best result it should be inside the pen in the area you hold it.

The only way I've seen that you can get away without a brass tube is to have some other form of metal that makes the connection or to actually hold the tip and touch the metal with your fingers. i.e. a length of conductive metal segmented into the pen running the length.

I've been down this path twice myself and learned my lesson. Tried just enough brass in the top to press in the tip and it didn't work unless I held it very close to the bottom.. As soon as I drilled it out and put a longer brass in it worked fine.

 

[LagniappeRob]

It's not touching the metal (though that would work obviously), but that the metal acts like an antenna. There needs to be enough field effect for the capacitance to be recognized. This is when some would work and others not. There are a lot of variables that effect whether it would work well, somewhat, poorly or not at all. For example, where and how the holder was holding the stylus (a grip around the body would be easier to sense than between two fingers), or even what the weather was (less humid would be harder to read than moist).

Electricity can be fun... I remember the 1st time I saw a flourescent bulb light up with no wires CB Radio - The fluorescent light bulb trick. No wires here! - YouTube