What do you use to cut the Wilton plastic dowels to get a nice even edge without having to saw away at them? Regular scissors aren't strong enough...
TIA!

I use these - the Lollipop Candy Sticks.
http://bakingpleasures.com.au/p740/lollipop-candy-sticks-11cm

So very easy to cut with kitchen scissors and best thing - they work a treat as far as support goes.
I kicked the wooden and plastic dowells to the curb since using these easy cutting white babies

But before i started using the Lollipop Candy Sticks - i went to the hardware store and bought a pair of garden snips - and kept them just for using on wooden and plastic dowells.
Now those snips sit next to the other pair - in the shed


Bluehue

Yeah I use the garden sheers too. But lately I have been using plastic drinking straws for smaller cakes. Now I'm gonna try the candy sticks that Bluehue suggested. Man I love the forums!

to cut my plastic dowels I use a tube/pipe cutter I purchased from Lowes. works great

a HACKSAW !

Spaced evenly about 6-8 in a circle then 2 in the middle.
I like them as they don't leave great gaping holes in the cake like some large fat dowells do.
Many use the Bubble Straws - i see rave reviews about hem on here - but again the Lollipop Candy Sticks are thinner.

For other cakes....
Good thing about them, is you can get them in different heights - so if you can get the 8 inch ones - cut them in half for a 4inch high cake - then you get 2 for the price of 1


Bluehue

I also use a tube-pipe cutter from Home Depot when I use regular wooden dowels and they work great, but most of the time I use scissors because I use them to cut my straws for cake support.