I am new to decorating, and I have seen many cakes I love that were decorated with a clay gun. So, here is my stupid question: What exactly is a clay gun? Also, where would I get one and how would I use it? Thank you!!

A clay gun is something you use to put fondant through. It works like play dough. You have a disk that you put on the end of a tube, put fondant in the tube and use a plunger-y thingy to push the fondant out of the disk. Depending on what kind of disc you put on the end decides the shape. You can get them at Michael's or an art store in the clay section. I just got a $5 one that is aimed for kids - works well for me. But, there are expensive ones, too. HTH.

I found mine in the clay supplies at Hobby Lobby. Makins brand makes a plastic plunger type that sells for about $5 and a metal one that has a rod that turns that pushes out the fondant/gumpaste and it sells for about $20. I had the plunger type but it killed my hands to push it through. I bought the metal one and I love it! It is so great for all kinds of things, expecially fondant ropes.

Thank you so much for your replies!!

I bought my clay gun through a website. I do believe that it was $36. It works ok not as good as I thought it would. I have also found that the most off the wall things will work just as well. I have quite a collection of PlayDoh toys that work great for cake decorating... Sometimes the most inexpensive things work better than the expensive ones. I personally like my PlayDoh toys.

Here's the one I have: http://www.theclaystore.com/pages-productinfo-product-745/makins-professional-ultimate-clay-extruder.html

I used it to make the helmet face mask (picture to the left), the lines and numbers on the "field", up around the white (head) part, and all around the bottom border of the cake.

I couldn't have rolled those coils thin enough, or consistent enough without this tool, but I can tell that I'm going to need a bigger, better version down the line.

Hey FlourPots, I have the one you have and I love it. Its real easy to use and all you have to do is twist the rod and the fondant comes out with ease.

Merry Christmas!!!

Oh goodness! I have now found another website I love.
Thanks for the clay "tool" website!!
So for those of you have this clay tool.. Do you also have the clay gun I do? It has the two ends you twist off, put the fondant in the middle, and then squeeze the scissor like handle...

Does this clay "tool" you use work really good? The clay gun I use frustrates me so much that I just give up using it most of the time.

I like the Makins one too. Twisting the handle is a huge hand-saver compared to having to squeeze that gun pump. It works like a dream. The only drawback is indeed its small size. However, the top does unscrew so that you can add fondant to what's already in there and hopefully it will get squeezed together. I got a good price on it (when you factor in shipping) from polyclayplay.com. The owner, Trish, is super-helpful and loves to learn about this "alternate use" for clay tools .

Thanks for the info ceshell!!! Yea squeezing that "trigger" on the clay gun kills my hands especially after coloring and kneading fondant then to have to squeeze the gun. WHEW!!

It is easy to use, I had no hand ache at all.

ceshell, so you load from the top? That's what I did, and having to pull the stick back up the cylinder, and wiggle it out, is what made me think I'm going to need a better one b/c that push thing is surely going to come off one day.

But, I saw the same Makin's unit on another site (can't remember which one, I got there following a link on a thread), and it was advertised as bottom loading...I thought that was great, and would eliminate wiggling the stick out, until you're actually finished. I haven't tried it that way, but I am my next time using it.

i have 2 and LOVE them. i have the small one you pick up at a craft store and the "Arnold Terminator" size for the really big stuff, twice the size of hubby's caulking gun (he is jealous). LOVE THEM!

Alright KakesbyKitty.. Where did you get the Arnold sized one??

Flourpots, you can load it from the bottom OR the top. I usually load from the bottom actually, but it's nice to know the option exists to load from the top (even if that option is not exactly effortless.)

Here are pics of both my small Makin clay gun (michaels, hobby lobby, etc) and the industrial Klay extruder (Arnold version, you can see the size of it if you look in the lower left hand corner, it dwarfs my cook books!)... i found it when i lived in Anchorage Alaska in a cake shop that just happened to also sell clay working tools! Man, I miss that store! I bet you can find it on the internet or maybe even ebay?

I just got the "Arnold" gun today for Christmas. I can't wait to try it.

wooo hooooo! yay price! what discs did you get? do you know where you can get more? i only have 2 or 3 that the shop had in stock and would love an assortment.

Holy Toledo Kakesbykitty!! That is an Arnold size extruder!!!!

I am on a mission now to find it online or locally. Will let all know if I find it!!!

Thanks for the info!


MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Wow, kakesbykitty...what did you pay for that bazooka?

mmm, I think I got it for a steal at $45...

I just purchase the Arnold extruder on ebay. BRAND NEW!! I think it ended up costing me $39 then shipping. I can't wait for it to come in!!! I also bought a Kemper Clay Extruder with 19 different discs. WOO!!!!!!!

thanks for telling us about the Arnold extruder!!

Here is the link for where my clay gun was ordered from. They also have an additional set of discs you can order. I have heard that I can just use the disc from my smaller gun by just putting it on top of one of the disc that came with the large one. I hope to get a chance to try it out soon. The only thing I'm wondering about is how to clean it?

http://www.bigceramicstore.com/Supplies/ClayGuns.htm

wow, well after seeing the ebay deal and following the internet link i see i didn't get such a "steal" LOL! Oh well, it was Alaska after all... where everything is marked up 30% because everything has to be shipped in... so not too bad for living in the middle of nowhere

I hope everyone enjoys their "Arnold" guns... remember when you use it you have to say "hasta la vista baby"!

I just bought a clay extruder with 19 discs of ebay for a tenner UK money and i also bought a ribbon cutter - yay!! cant wait to try them.

dang! I bought that itty bitty one from Earlene's and it cost me over 70 dollars with shipping. But it doesn't work ... Since I waited almost 3 months from order to needing to use it, I didn't feel right about exchanging it, so I ate the cost of it.

OK, so how do you put the little disc from the little clay gun in the large gun with out it sliding around? I get that you put it in behind the large disc circle opening... but wouldn't it slide or move? can't tape it. Maybe i just need more coffee, but for the life of me i'm stumped, help a dense tool junkie figure it out?

I haven't tried it yet myself, but was told it can be done. I'm assuming you'll have to stick it on to the big disk with a little bc or some piping gel or something, and then the pressure of the fondant should hold it in place.

I am just thinking out loud but I noticed that the guns come with a blank uncut disc. Could you make the hole in the uncut disc to the size of the smaller discs so that when you use the smaller ones it fits behind the others without moving around?