I Can't Make This Stupid Clay Gun Work! Help!
Decorating By saltystella Updated 8 Sep 2006 , 1:16am by saltystella
Okay, what's the deal? I love the look of the names spelled out in fondant on some of the cakes I've seen. I went out and bought two different clay guns, one plastic and one metal. For the life of me I cannot get the fondant out of the guns without the assistance of the strong man from the circus! What's the trick? I posted this question last night and somehow it ended up in the cookie forum; I'm a cake person not a computer person! "Coolmom" said lather the fondant up with Crisco, but won't it be all yucky? Will it dry mat? I don't know...HELP!
The crisco will serve as a lubricant for the fondant to slide down the tube easier.
Fondant is temperature sensitive, and needs to be on the warm side before inserting into the clay gun tube. Hand heat warm should be enough to make it pliable for clay gun use. Try kneading only enough to fit in the clay gun, by hand, then applying a thin veil of crisco to it before inserting it into the tube.
Theresa 
Try warming the fondant up in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it.It works better but is still difficult.
I warm mine in the microwave for a few seconds (maybe 10 for a baseball size). The only problem is that you have to work it RIGHT AWAY bc nuke-ing it will cause it to set/kinda dry out a bit quicker.
(Not my idea...this is from Earlene's cakes...LOVE HER. By the way, I use my electric cookie press, so no stong men needed. It is a little hard on the motor, but if you just keep pressing and letting off you will have a long cord in no time!)
-Michelle
Go here - http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/cyclopedia/clayguns.html. This is not a cake decorationg website, so don't panic when you read about cleaning the clay gun w/ WD40!
Towards the bottom they show how to make a regular caulking gun (usually under $2 at a homedepot type store) work w/ the clay gun. I thought it was a great idea and takes a lot of the work out of it.
The crisco and warming it first help too.
Will it dry mat? I don't know...HELP!
It will dry with a matte finish. I use it whenever I deal with fondant.
I have seen the guns before but could not find one so my husband said, "Why not use a play dough machine?" Gotta love him!!....... I went out and bought a $5 play dough machine and I can make round tubes, triangle tubes, square tubes, star tubes, etc. Just pop the two pieces apart and throw it in the dishwasher!
I do like the idea of the cookie press. I have one of those and it is still in the box.........I will have to pull it out.
bj
I had one of those and you have to be Popeye to make that fondant come out of it. I got the one with the red handle that makes it so much easier too.
By the way, I think you mention something about wanting to make fondant lettering What people use to do that is a set of fondant letter cutters (FME, I think) so you wouldn't need a clay gun for that.
Inma
You guys are too funny...I was too embarrassed to admit earlier that I have stolen my kids' playdough press and have been using that too...so bjfranco....thanks for giving me a chuckle this am. I am glad somone else does it too...I still nuke it to put it through there too!
GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, IDEAS! Thanks for all your thoughts! Okay, so tomorrow I go out to buy a Play Dough set since I have yet to allow my 2 and 3 year olds to wreak havoc with Play Dough! I knew I could count on you guys to have all the answers!
Thanks a million, Amy Stella 
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