I'm wanting to get some of those big straws that are cardboard. They are in Ednas video: how to stack a cake. They look much bigger than normal drinking straws. They aren't in cake supply stores here, so I was wondering: are they a cake specific item, or are they found for other crafts, or hardware stores? I'm just trying to think laterally about where I might find some!

I, too, have been trying to find them, but not having any luck.

I'm thinking that I might just have to buy a box from overseas, but the postage would be twice as much as the products.

I also don't know what bubble straws are. We have drinking straws. Two kinds. Straight, and with the ability to make a right angle for drinking. That's it.

They can't be made of cardboard or they would get soggy from the mooisture in the cake and collapse....they are plastic.

In her video, there's a link to this website that has the dowels: http://www.ladymaryinc.com/

And the video says that the dowels are cardboard. They look a lot easier to cut than the hollow plastic ones, I may have to try them too LD

I'd go for the little plastic ones too...are they used for...plumbing? Anything else?

I can only find the wooden dowels here. Which is a pain because I've only got a weeny handsaw, and it takes me aaages.

The plastic ones are made by Wilton and they take some effort to cut through. Not as much as wooden dowels but you do have to saw at them with a steak knife.

I think I've read that something like this http://www.google.com/products/catalog?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS349US349&q=pvc+cutter&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=3115073502344102429&ei=anJuS7qDJY6Ytgfx_MX_BQ&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBkQ8wIwAA#ps-sellers makes cutting wooden dowels easier. I'm not positive though, and I wonder if there's a cheaper kind than that.

Eco friendly biodegrable clear jumbo straws in the UK:

http://www.garraways.co.uk/p427724/eco-friendly-straws.html
(Check out the pull down menu for straw choices.)

Cardboard straws:

http://www.aardvarkstraws.com/store.php

Compostable jumbo (corn) straws:

http://www.ecoproducts.com/food_services/cold_cups_lids/food_service_corn_straws_order.htm

HTH

kiwigal81,
bubble straws are used for bubble tea. It's a drink you can get in many asian restaurants. The drink has giant tapioca pearls in it. You need the fat straw to be able to suck them up. They are available all over the internet, including Amazon and ebay, as well as in some restaurant supply stores.

The bubble tea straws work great. I found mine online. They are beveled at one end but you just measure the height you need and can cut them easily and accurately with sissors.The much larger diameter than regular drinking straws make them great for support

for bubble tea straws, try a chinese supermarket.
xx

I'm not sure about the cardboard - but the only place I've seen the bubble tea straws with a decent international shipping rate is here: http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_npmv=3&_trksid=p3910.m38.l1313&_nkw=boba+straws&_sacat=See-All-Categories

I've read that dog nail clippers work great to cut the wood dowels. Of course make sure they are new AND washed. But I am pretty sure the bigger clippers would work well. I'd go for the scissor kind of nail clippers, the heavy duty ones and not the ones with the one lever if that makes sense. The ones I am talking about look sort of like a pair of pliers.

I found this - I'm not sure if it has what you want though... http://www.ravenrolls.com/products.php?cat=8

well I used cake boards to support my carved car cake and not only did the cardboard soak up the moisture but the car collapsed because I used cardboard...........so I am just a bit skeptical of cardboard my self....but I am sure you know better than I....you would know better than me...but i don't trusdt it since then.

Madge was the cardboard waxed? That makes a huge difference, it acts as a barrier against moisture.

p/m edna.. she uses cardboard dowels.. i asked her about them.. i can, t find the info.. but she will tell you all about them.. they are not plastic. please ask her if that is what you would like to try.. hey! if edna uses them.. what else can we say.. right? ha!!!!its just like listening to sharon zambito .. or jennifer dontz.. we like what we see on their dvds.. we have to have it... ha!

madge, I can sure see where that experience would make you leary. I would be curious on what brands/type of cardboards and supports were used, so we can avoid having the same experience.

lol..........just wilton cake boards.....I forgot to cover them with foil and man what a wreck, flattened all four tires on the car............you know anything that can go wrong, happens to me at least once.

ugh that stinks Madge. Wilton boards and their boxes are horribly weak....they're a waste of cardboard.

I love bubble straws. I get mine from Ebay and have never had any problems with them.

The Wilton cardboard cake boards are fine as long as you cover them, but I have had issues with their cake circles being bigger than the size that they claim to be!

I like for the cardboard rounds to be a little larger than my cakes. I use that as my guide for my bench scraper when I'm smoothing the sides. Otherwise I'd have a petal shaped cake when I need a round one.

I use Wilton rounds because they are readily available, but I always double up on them. Any oil is absorbed by the layer actually touching the cake, but I haven't had any trouble since I started doubling up the boards. I just use double sided tape between the two to keep them from sliding.

I love the bubble tea straws. I got mine on ebay. They are really cheap and if you make a lot of cakes, you can really stock up. You can also find online suppliers and buy them by the case. You'd be surprised at how reasonably priced they are. I bought a package of 150 straws last year and I've only gone through one pack of 50 so far, and that is with my son grabbing a handful of them to play with.

*edited due to some typos*

I use bubble tea straws and love them. Bought them at an Asian market and being a hobby baker I will never use all of them. Very inexpensive and they do the job. Sugarshack uses them and shows you how on her stacking DVD.

Indy,
OMG!! I am fascinated with your past cemetary job!!! I love cemetaries - DH and I always check out old cemetaries when we are on vacation - so interesting and informative....the stories they tell. I have a mental picture of the caskets floating down the street - along with the cardboard ones. I also read up on cremation and the "leak proof cardboard container" (all sites always seemed to stress that point) recently when FIL died and was cremated. The whole process creeps me out but I guess that's better than floating down the street.

Straws....??? I went to my local Smart & Final and checked out the bulk straws. I felt them and noticed how bendable and flexible straws were. So I questioned the use of straws and why would they be used within cakes for support. After walking out I was sipping on my drink out of my starbucks cup http://www.dailydanny.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/starbucks-cold-cup.jpg and came to the conclusion that the straws that are mentioned within have to be this type because they are hard plastic with no flexibility.

Now I have not yet seen in person bubble straws (I intend to visit my local Asian market tomorrow just to see) or cardboard. I'm curious to see how straws work as I've seen so many mention them.

ALSO - WOW - I've learned a lot about Wilton's cake boards on this thread and will take it all in when making my next cake. Especially since it will be a very large / heavy cake.

Has anyone ever used cardboard or something else as a board from the hardware store or otherwise that is inexpensive and durable?

I contacted the company that Edna speaks of for some quotes on their straws and they were REDICULOUSLY high in $$. Something like $30-$50 (length varies) for a pack of 12 I would stay with the bubble straws or dowels.