I just wanted to check that this is right.
When you put in a central dowel in a stacked cake do you measure the length on the side of the stacked cake, cut and then sharpen the end?How do you get it through the boards?..with a hammer?
I am using double thickness cardboard covered with foil and contact for the base of each tier. There will be four tiers. Thanks for your help!

The last time I used a large center dowel I just eyeballed the length a littel shorter than the whole cake and sharpened the end. But before I put it in I had a really long metal skewer with a sharp point and I put that in first. It made it much easier to put the dowel in that way.

When I did it, I just eyeballed the length, sharpened the end, and pounded it thru lightly...worked just fine for me!!! Good luck!!!

Are you always supposed to put a center dowel in a stacked cake or is that just if you have to transport it?

From what I was told, its to keep them from sliding...so yeah, I guess if ya gotta transport it.

When I have done it...I put the sharpened dowel through the first three tiers and then stacked the 4th tier. I like to refrigerate my stacked cakes and transport them fully assembled. The center dowel will offer extra support when transporting the cake.

Thanks for your help. It's good to have advice so you don't go messing the whole thing up. Weefoot, I think the skewer is an excellent idea!!!
I only end up doing about a wedding cake a year, so I do forget what I tried last time. Thanks again,
Mel