Help with a project

I'm trying to build a capacitance (touch) circuit with a 555 or a TLO 82 BI-FET for an EE project. None that I have seen have worked reliably. Any help is appriciated.

look at this link. go to the latest assembly. the 555 circuit uses capatiance for sensing.
google Thermin as the Thermin operates using capatance.

https://thereminvision.com/version-2/TV-II-index.html

I'm limited to the 555 or TLO 82. On a breadboard, the TLO 82 with pin 8 hooked to 9V+, pin 4 to 9V- pin 1 hooked to the lamp and pin 3 as the touch surface. This works on a breadboard, but the project is a touch lamp using a monster can. once its not on the breadboard, it doesnt work reliably and false triggers. I'm pretty new, but I think that the problem is that the conductive service is too big.

just build the 555 circuit only.
no need for every thing else.