Make your own iPad paintbrush stylus

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diy stylus

Still looking for the best stylus for your iPad? Quit looking and make your own for free! The folks at Rainy Day Projects show you how to take an ordinary Bic pen and an old power cord to create paint brush style stylus that will work with any capacitive touch screen device..

8 thoughts on “Make your own iPad paintbrush stylus”




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  2. I am about to make this…

    In regards to fiber/materials, I am going to coat a regular paint brush in rubber cement and see if that works too.

  3. A regular paint brush coated in rubber cement is unlikely to work: That’s an insulator coated in another insulator. You need a conductor.

  4. Correct about the paint brush.

    With the idea of of conductive fiber though, I found metallic conductive thread at Wal-Mart (the silver is better than the gold according to reviews) for two dollars. I am using the same paintbrush and trimming the thread to mount.

    I am trying to find fiber which won’t bend out of shape as the copper does, or attempt to find a conductive material (like metallic paint) to cover the copper wiring.

  5. Rainydayinterns

    Kayla…we have ordered some conductive bristles used in making anti-static brushes. Will have an update once we have had a chance to experiment with them.

    Another reader suggest we try carbon fiber threads as apparently they are quite conductive…

  6. @andix – gotta compare the hardness of the metal vs the hardness of the glass. Copper might be OK. Definitely not steel.

  7. RainyDayInterns

    Hey…we are not suggesting you should scrub the glass like you would when scrubbing the burnt on chicken skin off of a frying pan 🙂

    Obviously, the thinner the wire strands, the less chance of any issues. If you use the heavy gauge copper strands from a 220V line…you are on your own!!!

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