Hi everyone, I need help in problem solving round tier plates, which are the right sizes that I wanted as well as the column rods. Here is my plan, I made a 16X3 round cake and a 12X3 inch round double layer for each size cake. I know that I need to use a 18 in. round and a 14 in. round. The cakes are going to be stacked cakes, however, the 18 in. tier plate column rods are too far out, so when I go to insert the 14 in. round plate, the round groves where of the top plate does not extend to the outer 18 in. round plate. What should I do in this case other than returning them, cause I need this or something to work before Sunday, June 17, 2007. Does anyone know what I should do as a subsititute? Or are there any other options that I can use in place of cause I know that I will not get the correct ones in time for the event. Thank you and greatly appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. 
I think I know what you are doing and it's a simple fix. If I'm reading this wrong, just let me know.
If I was looking at your assembled cake, I get the impression that I would see (from the tabletop up....) an 18" plate, then a 16" cake, then an 18" plate, then pillars, then a 14" cake, then a 12" cake. I assume this because you are saying the 14" plate's "feet" don't align with the 18" plate's feet, therefore I am assuming you are trying to place the pillars onto the 18" plate's feet that are sticking up.
See this link from the Wilton site Photo #4. Notice how the plate on top of the bottom cake is smaller than the bottom cake ..... it's the same size as the plate under the top tier. http://www.wilton.com/wedding/makecake/building/stacked.cfm
What you need to do is have a 14" plate sitting on top of the 16" cake, then the 14" feet that is under the 12" cake will align perfectly.
If this is not the construction you are doing, send back a better description and we'll help you get there! 
Other construction methods: http://www.wilton.com/wedding/makecake/building/index.cfm
I think I know what you are doing and it's a simple fix. If I'm reading this wrong, just let me know.
If I was looking at your assembled cake, I get the impression that I would see (from the tabletop up....) an 18" plate, then a 16" cake, then an 18" plate, then pillars, then a 14" cake, then a 12" cake. I assume this because you are saying the 14" plate's "feet" don't align with the 18" plate's feet, therefore I am assuming you are trying to place the pillars onto the 18" plate's feet that are sticking up.
See this link from the Wilton site Photo #4. Notice how the plate on top of the bottom cake is smaller than the bottom cake ..... it's the same size as the plate under the top tier. http://www.wilton.com/wedding/makecake/building/stacked.cfm
What you need to do is have a 14" plate sitting on top of the 16" cake, then the 14" feet that is under the 12" cake will align perfectly.
If this is not the construction you are doing, send back a better description and we'll help you get there!
Other construction methods: http://www.wilton.com/wedding/makecake/building/index.cfm
Hi indydebi, thanks for the reply. My base is 18 in. footer, which I had in mind to put the 16 in. cake on the 18 in. plate and underneath that, I would have a silver drum. and my top cake is 12 x 3 in., so I would use the 14 in. plate. My cake is going to be stacked on top of each other, but I want to make sure that the cake does not sink or decorations fall off. My cake is going to be a pound cake and for sure the weigh on pound cake is a lot. I give my plates 2 in. more than what the cake in size so that I can have more to do the decorations. I was looking at Building the Cake - Combination Pillar & Stacked Construction at Wilton's site; #4 without the plate on top of the cake, just bottom and top cake. Sorry if I was not clear in my writing, but hopefully you will be able to understand and if not, I'll try again to break it down a little more. Thanks again and greatly appreciate your help. Have a nice day.
If you are doing a cake-on-cake, like in photo #4, then I think your plate should be a 12" plate, not a 14". You can use the top of the 16" cake for the extra space for the decoration. The doweling system you use will support the top tier, not the plate itself. I'm a little confused by "the grooves are not matching".
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