Does anyone not use the card board base in addition to the plastice plates? I have found that even when poking a hole in the cardboard it doesn't sit right on the plastic base. Anyone else?

Lizmybit,
I always use a cardboard round under my cakes before placing them on the SPS plate. I don't see any other way to do it really because the logistics of attaching the legs once a cake was on the plate or decorating a cake on legs and plate just seem difficult.

When you say the cardboard doesn't sit right, is it not laying flat? Are you pre-poking your hole in the cardboard before you place your cake on it?

According to Leah's instructions, which I follow religously, BEFORE you do anything you take the cardboard rounds you are going to use under the cakes that will be placed on the SPS plates. So if I'm stacking a 6 - 8 - 10 inch tiers, I would take a 6 inch cardboard round and push it into the SPS plate so that the spike created an indentation. Then I take a metal skewer and poke the hole all the way through the cardboard round. Then you take the 8 inch cardboard and press it into the 8 inch plate. Remove from plate and poke the hole all the way through. For me I like to use at least 2 cake boards per layer. So I take the cake board with the hole in it and I glue it to the bottom of another cake board and place a heavy book on them to dry. This way they're flat. Then before you put the cake on it make sure it sits on your SPS plate flat. Then you take the boards off, put some buttercream on the top board and stack and fill your cake as usual. Place a little buttercream on the SPS plate. Next when you transfer it to the SPS plate, you have to manuever the cardboard until the hole lines up with the little nub. Does that help?

Thank you! I can always count on you to comment. I used it again yesterday and it seemed to be better. The first time I used the system it seemed like the cake sat too high and it left a gap. I did poke a hole prior to putting the cake on the cardboard. Maybe it's jsut a matter of using it more and getting used to it. I do have to say I am very pleased with the support of the system. It's been so hot this summer and the last few cakes I've had I haven't heard a word that the cakes sagged at all.

If it sat too high, maybe it wasn't dead on the little nubby thing. I've had that happen before. It does take a little practice. I still struggle with getting my cakes the right height etc but I just make it a policy not to do borderless cakes

I only use the SPS for pillared cakes and those are final-stacked on site.... but I just cut the nubby off.