Looked on line and saw that "bubble straws" are just nice round straws. I have also heard of them being used as cake supports, but my question is how many do you use, and are there different "guages" of them

I get mine off of ebay. I've never seen different gauges of the bubble tea straws. Use the same number as you would wooden dowels.

Bubble tea straws are just one size (gauge) but come in various colors; for a smaller size closer to a dowel you could just use regular drinking straws for supports. You can buy them online, or if you have access to an Asian grocery or market you might find them there too.

I don't think regular drinking straws are as strong as bubble tea straws. I wouldn't trust them in a large cake.

You use them with stacked cakes with 3 and 4 layers?

I use bubble tea straws for all my cakes, I use 1/2 the amount of straws as there are inches in the cake they are supporting, don't know if that makes sense.
Here's an example: 12" cake with 10" stacked on top will have 5 straws in the 12" bottom cake, 5 is 1/2 of 10.
I think I may of made that way more confusing then it had to be..lol

I also got my bubble tea straws from an Asian market and I am not aware of there being different gauges.

This is how I use my bubble teas straws for a 3 tired cake. I have a 12 inch tier and on top of that I put a 10 inch tier. Before I place the 10 inch tier I insert 5-6 bubble tea straws in a circle and one in the middle off center into the 12 inch tier for support. I then place my 10 inch tier that is on a cake circle/cardboard on the 12 inch tier. Next I place 5-6 straws into the 10 inch tier cake and place the 6 inch on top of that which is also on a cake circle/cardboard. Then I insert my long wooden dowel all the way through the 3 tiers into the bottom base which is either several cardboard cirlces glued together or foamcore.

I even use the straws when doing 2 tierd cakes and I want the support there.

I hope this makes sense.

If you get SugarShack's DVD about stacking you will see how she uses bubble tea straws - an excellent DVD and worth every penny. You will learn so much.

Thank you so much....your cake was beautiful. It is good to find an alternative to dowl rods....just think they are a pain. This has to be the best avenue for finding new ideas and learning from others. It humbles me to see how talented people are.

oh....THANK GOD! i found this. i've tried the wooden dowel thing. then actually went to reg dowels cutting them w/my miter saw all the while thinking...i sure need all this fingers to finish this cake!! then recently went to the plastic dowel thing. but it is kinda expensive and my sissors/garden shears just broke after 3 cakes!

so i've heard of this bubble straw thing. is this more cost effective you think? what are they made of?? like reg straws or stronger?? what do you use to cut these w/?

thanks for all your help!

I am still using up my dowel rods, but at a demonstration they said it is the straws like the use at Braums....check them out. They are pretty sturdy. I am anxious to use them. Don't you love this cake forum. Can hardly wait for the magazine to come out.....

They are wooden dowels, and I use tree clippers I got at Lowes.... They work really well. I will probably order some on line.

The bubble straws are what I will order on line...

bubble tea straws are not "just nice round straws". They are thicker in diameter than regular drinking straws

I've used pet nail clippers (ones that have NOT been used on cakes) to cut down wooden dowels.

I've found the bubble tea straws at the grocery store near me (advertised as milkshake straws) near the ice cream and in random places throughout the store. I also have seen them at local cake stores.

You are so right, they are not just your ordinary straws. In fact I was concerned even using them in a large cake, but after I saw jammjerks cake I was blown away. Bubble straws here I come.

Also great idea mirda6275 on the pet clippers!

I LOVE bubble tea straws! Its all I use for supports, except an occasional "dowel all the way through".