Intuos4 design flaw FIX
Hey everyone with an Intuos4! I'm sure by now you've realized how ridiculously fast your nibs wear down with light use, so I have a created a solution to the problem.
Many Intuos4 users have complained to Wacom about the very abrasive paper like surface that the Intuos4 tablet has, and I have found a way to polish it so that the life of your nibs increases substantially.
Wacom's FAQ about abrasive surface: http://www.wacom.com/Search-Results.aspx?s=nibs+wear
Do this at your own discretion, I am not responsible for any damages to your tablet.
***IMPORTANT***:
Please use masking tape to mask the creases around the actual tablet surface to avoid getting moisture onto the electronic parts of the tablet.
1. Get your masking tape and mask all 4 gaps around your tablet to avoid getting moisture into it. I personally masked each edge twice over to make sure that no water would seep through them.
2. Get 2 towels, one that is damp/wet, and one dry one, plus the toothpaste.
3. Apply a small amount of tooth paste into the center of the tablet's surface and begin to rub it in circular motions to polish it. Add more toothpaste when necessary.
4. When the toothpaste becomes very pasty, take the damp towel and wipe it off.
5. Use the dry towel to dry off and remove any excess toothpaste that may have been left behind.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 up to 4 times until the surface is smooth enough that you can barely hear your pen's nib sliding across it's surface.
RESULT:
Now, some people may actually like the rough surface because it does a great job of imitation the texture of paper with your pen, but if you'd like your nibs to last longer (esp. for digital painters + digital sculptors), use this to make your tablet more similar to an intuos3.
Please don't do this with any other model, as there is probably no need to, and because I've only tested it on the Intuos4.
Many Intuos4 users have complained to Wacom about the very abrasive paper like surface that the Intuos4 tablet has, and I have found a way to polish it so that the life of your nibs increases substantially.
Wacom's FAQ about abrasive surface: http://www.wacom.com/Search-Results.aspx?s=nibs+wear
Do this at your own discretion, I am not responsible for any damages to your tablet.
***IMPORTANT***:
Please use masking tape to mask the creases around the actual tablet surface to avoid getting moisture onto the electronic parts of the tablet.
1. Get your masking tape and mask all 4 gaps around your tablet to avoid getting moisture into it. I personally masked each edge twice over to make sure that no water would seep through them.
2. Get 2 towels, one that is damp/wet, and one dry one, plus the toothpaste.
3. Apply a small amount of tooth paste into the center of the tablet's surface and begin to rub it in circular motions to polish it. Add more toothpaste when necessary.
4. When the toothpaste becomes very pasty, take the damp towel and wipe it off.
5. Use the dry towel to dry off and remove any excess toothpaste that may have been left behind.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 up to 4 times until the surface is smooth enough that you can barely hear your pen's nib sliding across it's surface.
RESULT:
Now, some people may actually like the rough surface because it does a great job of imitation the texture of paper with your pen, but if you'd like your nibs to last longer (esp. for digital painters + digital sculptors), use this to make your tablet more similar to an intuos3.
Please don't do this with any other model, as there is probably no need to, and because I've only tested it on the Intuos4.
Replies
Tape a piece of drawing paper (even bristol vellum) to the active area. The surface will feel like drawing on paper and it wears before your nibs do. On the 2 I went through only two nibs in 6 years.
I'm betting that the 4 will be the same....now that I have one.
Are you saying to use just a normal sheet of A5 printer paper, or what do you mean precisely?
after 3-4 nibs your surface should be nice and shiny allowing nib 5 to last for ages...so long infact that it will wear through the shiny back to a matt finish eventually
I kid btw, do whatever you want to, but the above worked for me.
The table is a little messy tonight...that's 138lb mixed media on there right now.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041FB176/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00"]Amazon.com: POSRUS Wacom Intuos 4 Medium Pen Tablet Surface Cover: Computers & Accessories[/ame]
I'm on my first nib on both of my Intuous 4's (work and home).
Thought I'd read that somewhere.