Hi there,
I'm starting to get into making gumpaste flowers and right now I only have the plastic ball tools and hate them. I've tried the metal ones and was just about to purchase one when I found these...
http://www.earlenescakes.com/store/images/tools/T-EMMBLS_LG.jpg
I was wondering if anyone has tried them or know anything about them. They are just a lot cheaper than the metal ones so I thought it was worth asking about.
Thank you for your help!
I have not used them, but a friend has and loves them. I have used marbles (large ones) to help cut through gumpaste on intricate cutters. It worked really well.
Michele
Thank you both for responding!
Sugarflowers-I'm really glad to hear that. So do you think if you were going to buy a ball tool would you buy those you get 2 for $4.00. Otherwise, the metal ones I'm looking at on globalsugarart are either $12 or $16 for just one.
Nichi-For both of them together, they are only $4.00. I might be able to make them, but for that price, I would just buy them.
thats a really cool idea! i never even thought about using marbles. I reckon it'd be worth buying them... they probably have a nice finish to the balling...
think i'll try to make one - we've got heaps of marbles around the house!!! (and I've never seen anyone in Oz selling these!)
-- Fi
Thank you both for responding!
Sugarflowers-I'm really glad to hear that. So do you think if you were going to buy a ball tool would you buy those you get 2 for $4.00. Otherwise, the metal ones I'm looking at on globalsugarart are either $12 or $16 for just one.
Nichi-For both of them together, they are only $4.00. I might be able to make them, but for that price, I would just buy them.
Oh yea for $4.00 I wouldn't even bust out my glue gun. Wow thats incredibly cheap.... very shocking in our industry.
I saw Earlene use these at one of the classes she and I took together several years ago. Yes they work and I think just as good if not better than the metal. All you need to do is cut a half circle into a dowel rod and place some glue then the marble. Wala, you have a home made ball tool. I seen in an old ACDM where someone used marbles as the ball tool but not connected to a dowel. I went and found all the marbles in my house and put one of each size in my tool box way back then. So when I saw how Earlene uses hers I did the same. And I love them.
Thank you both for responding!
Sugarflowers-I'm really glad to hear that. So do you think if you were going to buy a ball tool would you buy those you get 2 for $4.00. Otherwise, the metal ones I'm looking at on globalsugarart are either $12 or $16 for just one.
Nichi-For both of them together, they are only $4.00. I might be able to make them, but for that price, I would just buy them.
Yes, I would definitely buy them. I know Earlene and she sells great stuff. I keep intending to get some and then promptly forget.
I really like using the large marble (no stick/handle) for cutting intricate designs. Rosa from Peru has cutter/embossers and the marbles are the best for them.
Michele
Not cutting but rounding the edges. Making then petal edges frill more and thin out better.
What I meant about cutting intricate shapes is when you lay a piece of gumpaste onto a multi-use cutter/embosser, the marble cuts the fine details. Usually you have to use your finger to rub over the piece. This can get pretty painful if you need to cut more than one.
As an example, you can look at the Red Peacock in my gallery to see the blue "feather" detail. These were made with a cutter that also puts an imprint on the gumpaste. It's very difficult to cut the small areas AND leave the proper impressions. Rubbing the marble over the gumpaste and cutter/embosser took care of both problems and saved my fingers.
I hope this explanation helps. Without seeing it, it's kind of hard to describe.
Michele
Me too. Thanks, Michelle. Will have to try that next time when I make any more cuts. Haven't since my surgery in Dec. No time.
superstar-I emailed Earlene about them and she said she just takes 4 sizes of marbles and glues them to a dowel using E6000 glue( I don't know what that is, but hopefully you will).
She said she loves them and she thinks they work better then the metal ones but if you use them a lot they can fall off so you have to reglue them. I ordered them last week and I so can't wait to try them out. Let me know if you make them and how you like them also.
E6000 glue is available at almost any craft store. The lowest price I have found on it in my area is AC Moore - $3.49 per tube. Both other craft stores, and Home Depot are getting $3.99 here. Of course, I had a 50% off coupon (got one this week in my e-mail, too!), so I only paid 1.75 plus tax.
The stuff is awesome. If you glue something and it comes apart, I would be immensely surprised. The drawback - you have to apply glue to both parts you are gluing, wait 5 minutes, then apply.
I have dowels, so I guess I had better go marble shopping.
Theresa 
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