Do all of you use one long dowel though the whole stacked cake (mainly weddings) to finish off the doweling? If so, how do you get it sharp enough to push through the cardboard pieces once the cake is assembled?
Use a sharp paring knife or exacto knife and sharpen it like you would a stick from the forest when you were young to toast marshmellows and weinies.
I am new at this but took a class on wedding cakes and they said to always use the long dowel to keep your cakes from moving and to get it through the cardboard you sharpen one end of it with a pencil sharpener. Hope that helps, I am sure that are probably others ways also.
Do you guys do this as a rule for any cake over two tiers or do you still do it on a two tier stacked cake? Just curious since I am doing my first stacked cake today.
I use this on any tiered cake (two tiers included) that I am traveling with.
I traveled with a three tier cake in two pieces before. The first two were stacked with a center dowel in it (sticking out so it could be removed) then when I got to the place I removed the dowel and set the third tier on top. (referring to the blue tiered cake in my gallery)
The topsy turvy cake I transported while stacke also with a dowel through the center. This one I trimmed the dowel to the correct heigth and just placed a rose over it. When I went to cut it I just moved the rose and pulled out the dowel.
So I always do b/c I don't want to worry about it more than I already do.
Leily
I was very skeptical when I first done this. I was so afraid that the whole cake would just smash right down through the middle. But lo and behold it didn't and the dowel went right down through. After I told my DH that I had to beat it down with a hammer he just looked at me like What? 
Just wanted to share.
I have never put a skewer through one of my stacked cakes, im just wondering what type of boards you are using in between your cakes to be able to do this?
Nati
This method only works if you're using cardboard cake circles between the tiers, rather than plastic separators.
YES - run a dowel down through your cakes! It will keep the top tier(s) from sliding during transport! It seems a small detail but can save you from great heartache!! I am the most inept when it comes to the practical stuff, but even I can whittle the end of a dowel to do this. I like the shiskebob skewer idea!!
boonenati - just a single cardboard circle - they are not too hard to push a sharpened dowel through.
I have never put a skewer through one of my stacked cakes, im just wondering what type of boards you are using in between your cakes to be able to do this?
Nati
This method only works if you're using cardboard cake circles between the tiers, rather than plastic separators.
I've noticed that a LOT of the items we use here in Australi are quite different than what you use in the states. Our base boards are normally made out of masonite, and the inbetween ones are made out of cardboard that is covered in a thin layer of some sort of foil that prevents moisture getting through. We dont usually use the plastic separators.
Now, do the cardboards that you guys use, sound similar to what we use??
Nati
I did a variation of this WITH plastic separators...
first, turned the concept on its head.
started w/ a 3/4 inch plywood base.
drilled 1/2 inch deep hole dead center ever so slightly smaller than the diameter of dowel
pounded and glued dowel into hole (very strong fit)
took plastic plates and drilled hole dead center ever so slight bigger than diameter of dowel-tight enough to hold but not so tight hard to move down dowel.
did cakes as usual on plates
measured tier heights and added up to get total height of cake.
cut dowel to height minus 1 and 1/2 inches.
sharpened dowel tip w/ pencil sharpener.
then lowered each tier in turn over central dowel
added support dowels before adding next tier
repeated until all together.
one very sturdy cake.
(transported unassembled and finished on site)
(edited: spelling strikes again! ok..grammar too!)
I use the k-bob skewers all the time - they are already sharp - and it's really easy to trim these down to size since they are thinner than dowel rods. I do this with all my stacked cake.
I would guess the card board is the same from the US. I have also (and prefer to use) foam core board between layers more than 2 cakes stacked high - especially with my topsy turvy cakes. They don't absorb the moisture like cardboard does and hold up really well.
I like the drilling through plastic bases idea....if I ever get to do a tall wedding cake, I may try that method. Sounds like it would be really sturdy.
I was just getting ready to ask if any of you use "foam core" when the last poster(SLK) mentioned it!!! haha 
That is what I am going to use for daughters wedding cake next month.
Here you can buy a good size sheet of it for under $5 Canadian, then cover it with the self adhesive plastic. That way it is re-usable. You can still punch through it with stakes etc. We used to use this stuff all the time in store displays.
Glad someone else uses it, I was wondering if it would be appropriate or not 
I was very skeptical when I first done this. I was so afraid that the whole cake would just smash right down through the middle. But lo and behold it didn't and the dowel went right down through. After I told my DH that I had to beat it down with a hammer he just looked at me like What?
Just wanted to share.
The first time I doweled a cake, my kids saw me standing above the cake with a hammer in my hand, they thought I was nuts! They told me, "Mom, don't smash it! It doesn't look that bad!!" 
vicki - that's so funny!
Taigne - I love the foam core boards. I can get the 1/4 inch for $2 and the 1/2 inch for $4 (which I use for the base).....They cover great and I can get 2 to 3 cakse out of each board. Easy to cut, easy to use, holds up really well.
I've never doweled a cake but then I have only stacked two layers at a time.
I am a FOAMCORE fan!!! I was so tired of getting cracks in my buttercream icing even when using wooden boards. I have had very few minor cracks using the foamcore. I also use them for my novelty cakes. I use them for just about everything.
I have never put a dowel through my cakes and I haven't lost one yet 
but I've learned to never say never. I also use straws as supports. They haven't failed me yet either. Maybe my day is coming.
Steady2Hands - all of us have a "day" to come....we just have to remember to take it in stride and laugh at ourselfes....oh, and to post it on the cake disaster forum....lol
For me, cutting the foam core is so much easier than cutting cardboard - you can get wacky shapes and all kinds of sizes. I have never tried covering mine with contact paper (self adhesive plastic) but I will have to give that a try.
SLK - you talked me into it. I haven't had a wedding cake disaster YET but I had one with a groom's cake. I went ahead and posted it (along with a picture) in Cake Disasters. You're right ~ it is best to laugh about it. That's my philosophy also.
I have a baseball cake disaster I'll take the time to share another time.
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