I'm looking to make a Handy Manny Tool Box cake for my little boy's birthday. Similar to this one; third picture down:

http://www.squidoo.com/handy-manny-birthday-cake-and-cupcake-ideas

Im very new to cake making, having only just made my first cake (my sons christening cake). I can see how to make the tool box, but not really sure what to do with the tools. Is there any way of making them without them being supported by something ie skewers?

Also, what should I make them from? Someone suggested I buy ready made coloured fondant icing and adding a little gum paste mix to it. Does this sound about right.

Your help would be much appreciated xx

I meant to post this in how do i section sorry xx

If you want to do those tools to scale, then I would use RKT. Have you ever used them? If not, let me know and I'll give you some tips to ensure success!

I've done one, it's in my pictures. Tools and box were fondant with a minimum of gum tragacanth added as the child wanted to eat all the tools and the box (I recommended to his parents not to though). Started 10 days ahead without any skewers or other supports and let it dry enough to hold the shape and be rigid enough to stay straight but not completely, it was still a little bit soft and 'edible'. It was not easy at all, surely it would be more easy to make everything out of gumpaste or with toothpicks inside. The worst part was probably to attach the eyes. The only part that was not made out of fondant was a drinking straw (covered with fondant).

I put the rice krispies in a thick zip lock and roll over them with a rolling pin. This compresses them so they will hold together tighter. Then I cook them up as I usually would but use very little marg, if any at all (a lot of people don't use marg at all). Then you can begin to scuplt with your hands. You can even use a knife when it's a the hard stage and you see it has to be trimmed/fixed somewhere. When happy with it, put in the fridge to harden up faster. Then I paint it with (usually with my hands) white candy melts so I get a smooth finish, put it in the fridge again to harden up, then cover with fondant and decorate. It only keeps for 3 days to 1 week before it starts to taste stale. So, I put it in the freezer after a few days if I need to. Good luck and have fun! It's a great medium for so many things...