I've had the same 9x12 Intuos 3 tablet for a couple of years now.  Ever since I got it, when I rest my arm on the edge while drawing, it creaks like the plastic isn't sealed up where it should be.  Anybody else have this "problem"?  I mostly just find it annoying, but I sometimes worry about what it means for my tablet.

I've also managed to wear away the plastic on the top, the gray flap that came with it.  There's a patch that is all worn away and around and in those areas my tablet has lost sensitivity.  Is it likely if I replaced the little plastic bit it would be okay?  Or is it just time to buy a new tablet?

 And what about pen nibs?  I seem to have lost my replacement nibs, and the one I am using now is almost gone.  Are these things available somewhere???
 

Solalia, 

 

Yes to all your questions apart from "time to buy a new tablet?".

 

My tablet creeks a tiny bit and I've read of many others that do too. If it's very bad Wacom will replace it but it looks like you might be out of warranty. If it's just annoying I'd try to live with it rather than buy a new one. The work surface is removable and can be replaced, ditto the nibs. All can be bought at the Wacom online store.

 

http://www.wacom-shop.net/cgi-bin/wacom.storefront/48765b7900432c68273f4ddcef26067b/ChangeLanguage/EN 

Thanks Joe!  I bought myself a transparent cover, different nibs and an airbrush pen.  I am excited to try it out.  :>

 I had never heard about other people's Wacoms creaking.  Mine did it at first, and then stopped for a long time, and last night I was sketching and it started creaking again!  I had forgotten it did that.  Hmph.
 

solalia:

 I had never heard about other people's Wacoms creaking. 

There used to be a very good user support forum at the Wacom site where this problem was mentioned, along with others (that's the nature of a support forum I suppose!). Unfortunately it has been closed down - maybe too many gripes!? 

Haha, could be.  Seems to me if you spend that much on an item, it shouldn't be creaky.  Makes me wonder how well it's constructed!  But so far it's traveled probably 6 or maybe even 7,000 miles with me and weathered all the bumps and getting dropped and still works, so I 'spose it's just fine.