I'm a newbie but I'd like ot try making a drumset cake for son's 18th birthday. I've seen some pretty real looking drumset cakes outthere. How do I make the round cake stand on its side safely? ANy secrets/tips/specifics? Can anyone help me achieve this? Thanks on advance

If you search "drum" in the gallery, you'll find lots of photos. I found a few and it looks like most people do the bass drum from a styrofoam dummy. Here are a few examples. All of the "sideways" drums/cakes are dummy cakes:

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1551220
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=485063
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1478983
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1222290

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it.

I made a drum set and the only way I found I could stand up the drum on it's side was by making a rectangular cake cutting it in strips about 5 inches thick and stacking with the appropriate support system. HTH