AI just wanted to ask some advice? If you don't mind, I have to make. Crate cake for an 80th, now I've had a few practice runs, but haven't done too well, if you make the sides of crate days ahead and leave to set/ harden then make cake then put together, how do you cut the cake? With hard crunchy sides? I have made a box with hard sides before a toy box but it was a cake topper not a actual cake, I have tried to cover the cake with soft fondant but just doesn't look right, you know smooth, also can I tone down the brown gel colour, add a colour to it?? Thanks heaps :D

Just curious, why do you need the crate pieces to set hard?  Over night should be enough to handle the pieces and still be fine to cut. I assume you are using pieces like paneling.   You can dilute the brown by mixing it with vodka before you paint.  Test it on a sample piece to be sure it's the shade you want. Hope this helps.

AI don't need them to set hard, I just thought that's how you make the box, cut the sides then let them go hard then put together with royal? I'm using pettinice, is this okay, I just thought once it's out over night t goes hard, ? I'm just not sure, okay how thick should I roll my pieces.?

I think you are trying to panel the cake - correct me if I'm wrong (like the top tier in my avatar).

I rolled them out between 1/8 and a 1/4 inch (not too thin so they don't snap and not too thick so it's hard to cut and adjust. They sat out over night and were easy to handle.  I used a combination of Satin Ice & Duff because I needed black.  I made my panels Friday, attached them to the cake on Sat and Sunday was the birthday party.  Cake was easy to cut but I suspect the hot and humid weather we were having along with the Duff fondant were big factors.

I can't speak to how Pettinice will behave but if you have the time you could do a test side.

There is a tutorial on Cake Masters by Kaysie Lackey on paneling.  You can also try putting each piece in the refrigerator to stiffen (about 5-10 min) before using. 

Cakespriations also did a beautiful cake with paneling.  I had contacted her to find out any tips and she told me refrigerating the pieces really helped. 

http://cakecentral.com/g/i/3084345/walk-in-the-woods-wedding-cake-by-chef-jennifer-friedmann-out-of-cakespirations-nc/

I hope I'm helping and not confusing you - Jeanne

pop your cut box sides in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to get firm, then put on the cake. 

AThanks for that, Jeanne, you haven't confused me, I am gonna do the paneling, the customer now wants me to wirte on the side of the panels!!! Its doing my head in.:)

ASo I was all set for the pannelling, and customer called and said she wanted it covered in dark fondant then the pieces put on, so this what happened...[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3118495/width/200/height/400[/IMG]