They make heated craft knives???? I have issues cutting foamcore with an Xacto.

Mine is by Walnut Hollow its in a great see thru storage container and contains other hot stamps and points. The tips heat up to 750 degrees. The main unit is a pastel green and pink (they make a manly dark red for you guys out there). Its in the Wood Carving area.

Tip: I used my 50% off coupon at Michaels. Sign up for their e-mail and they send you 50% off coupons more often than what you see in the Sunday paper. And you can go to their website to get coupons (when they have them). I admit this week I have used one each day of the week to get some of the higher $ items.

Thanks wrightaway777! THat's awesome! I have to look for it!!

I have that also and it cuts like BUTTER

Wow, I never knew anything about a fondant lifer, it sounds great I am going to Micheal's this afternoon, thanks so much for sharing.

Ok heres an answer to one of my questions earlier in the post. The foam core is a huge piece (40in by 60in by 3/16"). Its definitely $13.99 I asked the framing guy today why so much...he said it was b/c it is acid free (due to the whole photo blah blah..). You are going to notice right away that the poster part of this type foam core is a little different (its not the slick type)...so make sure your hands arent oily.
Tip1: Have someone help you open the front door cause I fumbled with my keys and tried to open the front door without this huge thing not touching the dirty floor. I must have looked demented. Make sure you take a large clean vehicle to get this into (or wrap it in a bedsheet). Measure the inside first before leaving home. I have a hummer so it fit fine. Minivan would be good too.

Tip2: You may get lucky and be able to use a 50% off coupon...I wasnt, I asked the framing guy and he said I couldnt use it (mental kicked self in pants)...which I'm sure he phoned up front right away that I was a lady with a burning 50% coupon in hand.

Anyone: my contact paper question...its going to overlap will that cause any trouble when rolling out the Fondant? Silly part of the question...does someone make contact paper 40+in wide?

Well I went to Micheals and bought the 1.00 on sale foam board and me and my DH got in a argument over it working like I told him it would. He said it wouldn't support the weight. Well he was right, shhhh. I just read your post wrightway and it needs to be the one you are talking about and as far as the contact paper I don't think it would hurt because that is going to be the underside touching the cake and it is just but a little tiny bump, right? Thanks everyone for such great help and advice.

Love this idea really, really have to try it. I agree with the last post. Ridges in the contact paper covering or ridges from rolling out over the rings shouldn't matter. The thickness of the fondant should be enough to make up for the little ridges on the underside so they don't show through on the top. Boy, where have you guys been??!! I'm just realizing my Wilton teacher's method for doing fondant is probably causing 1/2 my problems and frustration. I watched aine2 video today, and a video on youtube, and felt like a moron. Am I the only one who learned how to fold the fondant under the bottom of the cake, rather than smoothing down the sides and cutting right at the edge of the cake? Anyway, off topic! I love you guys for all the great ideas and can't wait to try fondant again!

visual here to, I'm soooooooooooooooooooo confused. Hahahahaha....

here's a pic for visual learners like me

hmmm....This may be a stupid question,but will this work making a rectangular or square shaped lifter???

Cool!

I think it would work on any cake shape. I always roll mine out to something that should resemble a circle anyways I might give it a try.

I can't wait till tomorrow just to go to Michael's, get the supplies, and make one. I don't have a problem with 10" cakes and under, but larger are a challenge. Can't wait

Okay, i'm going to get my hubby to make me one and I have some questions...what did you all use to draw the big circles? What were the sizes of each circle? Is there really a youtube video of all of this? What was the easiest way to apply the contact paper? Do you contact both sides?
Am I sounding too stupid yet? Thanks for this great idea!

i actually have to visit a guy who makes business signs for a living this weekend...i am hoping that he can make a set of lifters for me using plexiglass

Thank you for posting the pics, sometimes I need to see it to understand it.

to draw circles you can use different size cake pans.. they are circles..lol

Over in the wilton forum they had someone there that had instructions for the Plexiglass version, I just pick mines up with my blue mat flip it over the cake and peel the mat off like Sharon does from Sugar Shack, works like a charm, then I can just fold my mat and put it away. I don't think I would have the space for this. It's a great idea though, maybe when I have my own shop one day and the space....

Great info, thank you all!!

hi can you show it in your pictures thanks

For those of you still watching this topic. The best tool to draw large circles with is a giant circle beam compass by Dascopro. Its not found in the craft stores so head to the hardware store.
Heres a product search on google for picture and range of prices. Lowest is $4.71 on Amazon:

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=dascopro+giant+circle+beam+compass&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=7312530750625606742&ei=UfKHTOWwM4e09QSbg4TeDg&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CC4Q8wIwAg#

Its great to use when making your cake bases, and hidden cake rounds. The largest round it can make is 10ft in diameter but it doesnt stop there....you can replace the rod with a longer rod (pvc, etc).

I love this idea but I have one question:

Covering the board with contact paper; surely that has to be done before the circles are cut otherwise it will be sealed shut and when you pick it up there'll be no hole in the middle to put the cake through?