I just had to share! I bought this at Home Depot to cut my dowels FAST. I was using a Japanese Pullsaw (took forever). But my husband found this in the plumbing section at Home Depot (the link below is website that has it since I couldnt pull it up on HD). The official name is "Green Lee Plastic Pipe Cutter." After I tested it, I kissed my DH on the cheek and he said, "If I would have known buying you a pipe cutter would get me that - lets go buy you more."

http://www.howtowireahouse.com/Greenlee_89806.html

Why I like it for cutting wood dowels:
1. round area at the bottom its perfect for the dowel.
2. The blade head is much better than a razor blade and extremely sturdy
3. cuts the dowel like butter with little splintering & FAST w/ease
4. Surprizingly lightweight (the body is steel)
5. low price $12.99 (at HD)
6. holes in blade allow for hanging when not in use

I think I'm going to start a trend (if its not already widely used)!!

That rocks! I'll have to get one.

Oh ya! I'm so there to get one

Thanks for telling us about this!

Jen

I've had one for years.
The blade will get dull and have to be replaced but otherwise, it's a good tool.

Awesome! Thanks for sharing, I'll have to go and pick one up!

Thanks for sharing! On my way to home depot!!

THANK YOU!!! I was just about to start a thread asking people what they use. I'll send DH there today, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mac - not sure if yours is the same but in this model the blade actually reverses for twice the life...love that too!

I use a cable cutter...same idea, slightly different shape.

I use something very similar - except it's not round on the bottom - cuts through dowels like butter!

That's great! I'm getting one of those. Thx for posting!

dave

I use something similar too. i bought some pruning shears (I think that is what they are!) but it is used to cut small branches.

Ehhh . . .you guys should just give up dowels altogether and start using the SPS sytem. I haven't cut a dowel in years!

whats the sps system

What is the sps system?

Thanks for the tip. I will have to get me one of those.

SPS = Single Plate Separator. It's easy, cheap, and strong. You can purchase it from Oasis and Global Sugar Arts. If you'll PM me with your email addy, I'm happy to send instructions to anyone and everyone.

Leahs, pls send me the instructions for the SPS, I would love it, thanks! [email protected]

TIA

NEW TOOLS!!!!! Thank you so much for new ideas. People think that I am crazy when I say that I go into Home Depot and look for tools to do cakes with. I got a spackling trowel and I use that to smooth bigger cakes. I love Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware all of them...Viva la tools!

I use Stihl pruning shears. Heavy duty blade!

But I also sometimes use straws instead dowels. Regular scissors do the trick.

I've tried pruning shears in the past and found that the "bypass blades" causes the dowel to not cut perfectly straight across and leave a somewhat point to it....thats why I love my new tool. Theres no bypass blade.

I still love the dowel method too - Personally I like that I dont have to bake the cake to fit plastic supports (height wise). Essential in topsy turvy. It would bug the pants off of me if I was just a few centimeters off with the plastic support and see a gap b/w the plate (holding next tier) and the bottom cake.

OOH, I forgot to add. Does anyone ever use the WIlton peg legs? I have a bag and I have never used them before. I don't even know how to use them.......

I'm still looking for one of these. It would be so handy!

I'm still using it and cant say enough about it! I love it. It doesnt crush the wood. Print the picture in the link and go to your local hardware big store (in my case I got it from Home Depot).

Congratulations on your new tool! I bought one recently also but I haven't had the chance to use it yet....I will next week though. I was afraid I wouldn't have the hand strengh for that one so I found one that is ratcheted. I'm so excited about using it! My hubby got me a tackle box that I was able to put my stuff into. I "almost" feel like I'm getting organized.

LOL,
I will definately get one of these . But the tackle box comment cracked me up. For Christmas my mom bought me a super big tool box for my cake stuff. I was floored and told her it was too big but I finally got around to loading it up and it's AWESOME. I was always loosing stuff or running back and forth to grab stuff. Now it's all in one big tote

I told my hubby this was on my shopping list so the next time he goes to home depot I'm going to have him check it out. sounds like that is just what I need. thanks for the info.

Thanks for the info. I am getting one right now.