Buttercream Smoother Homemade?
Decorating By usmdesigner Updated 17 Mar 2011 , 2:19pm by usmdesigner
Since watching a lot of Cake Boss and watching them smooth the buttercream with little (what looks like) plastic pieces, does anyone currently use one of these and can it be "homemade" (cutting it out from a certain item to make one?)
Buddy simply cuts acetate sheets to the needed size. You can buy acetate sheets in most craft stores or art supply stores.
Thanks sherry. I've never heard of them, so I'll have to look that up.
Also someone suggested to me the page protectors from Walmart. I may give that a shot as well since I'm seeing the acetate sheets come in bulk.
I've used the viva as well, but it is really time consuming and ends up frustrating me, especially when it isn't hard enough and buttercream starts sticking to the paper towel. And of course in the long run there is more cost to having paper towels constantly.
I'm trying to get off that wagon 
Try the Melvira foam roller technique. Easy peasey.
It is a life saver.
Also someone suggested to me the page protectors from Walmart. I may give that a shot as well since I'm seeing the acetate sheets come in bulk.
The acetate sheets, strips, and rolls (that are sold by bakery suppliers) are thicker than flimsy vinyl page protectors. You can tear the page protectors, but not the acetate. It's sort of like the difference between paper and card stock in weight, except you need a blade to cut it.
Also someone suggested to me the page protectors from Walmart. I may give that a shot as well since I'm seeing the acetate sheets come in bulk.
The acetate sheets, strips, and rolls (that are sold by bakery suppliers) are thicker than flimsy vinyl page protectors. You can tear the page protectors, but not the acetate. It's sort of like the difference between paper and card stock in weight, except you need a blade to cut it.
Using Page protector might have been the wrong term. I was more or less thinking of the plastic used to put multiple pages inside that is then held together by that strip of plastic. I guess that would be called some type of "binder" although I never called it that. I usually referred to it as a page protector. And yes, an actual think flimsy page protector wouldn't be able to spread melted butter and hold up to any form of weight.
I was more leaning towards the 3 ring binder plastic that could be cut (not the big cardboard 3 ring binders). It can bend and flex and I think it would hold up to the weight of the hand pressure combined with the spreading and not break form. Although I've never seen acetate sheets and this may be just like them.
I saw a post somewhere saying you could actually try Office Depot and ask to get individual sheets of acetate. I may call about that first. I also have yet to actually get a visual of what I'm talking about, seeing that I have never used or seen an acetate sheet and googling it doesn't really help either.
Yes, use a plastic scraper.
Buddy uses cardboard, the type that is white on the top, similar to posterboard yet thicker fiber. (this is helpful when smoothing more rounded shapes that are carved since the scraper is too thick to bend a lot.)
Google shows many pages of acetate... here are some photos provided by suppliers:
http://www.cakedeco.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_main.html?p_catid=173
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=acetate+cake+collars&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&wrapid=tlif130020533256210&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=2845692168530664505&sa=X&ei=ao9_Tb7HD9LAtgeYhYHcCA&ved=0CCgQ8wIwAg#
http://www.bakedeco.com/static/list/acetate-liners.htm
Man, that bowl scraper would have been perfect except for the beveled edges. I can imagine how the uniformity (is that a word?) might be kinda hectic with an uneven edge.
As far as my meaning for google not producing much results, is the fact that the photo's aren't very good as actually having it in your hands. It's hard to tell the true form of that acetate just by looking at a picture. I mean in a physical sense of bending it, flexing, etc.
Lots of great response though. Thanks to all that have been replying.
I actually just found one of those 3 ring binders at work and it looks quite perfect for the task. Maybe not for smoothing royal icing or thick thick buttercream, but then again, I usually don't make mine that thick anyway when it comes to applying and smoothing for crusting.
i have a set of putty knives. the varying sizes makes them perfect for different height cakes. walmart carries a 3 pack for around $2. home depot or any other home improvement store will carry larger ones. and them being made of plastic works so you dont have to keep replacing them, or worry about contaminants. 
i have a set of putty knives. the varying sizes makes them perfect for different height cakes. walmart carries a 3 pack for around $2. home depot or any other home improvement store will carry larger ones. and them being made of plastic works so you dont have to keep replacing them, or worry about contaminants.
I think i have the same ones yellow?
Something about them makes it kinda difficult to use. It may be the handle you have to work with, I'm not sure. But now that I think about it, actually cutting that handle off of it might actually be just the trick!
Good ideas are flowing now. Good stuff
I was told to buy a bench scraper, as you can put the bottom of the blade on the turntable, so you get an even application. Since the bottom of the blade is flat, you are less likely to accidently change that angle, like you would with a putty knife. I plan on getting one from Michael's, but the acetate certianly has my interest.
I was told to buy a bench scraper, as you can put the bottom of the blade on the turntable, so you get an even application. Since the bottom of the blade is flat, you are less likely to accidently change that angle, like you would with a putty knife. I plan on getting one from Michael's, but the acetate certianly has my interest.
Unless you are trying to ice a sphere, stick with the bench scraper because the acetate isn't stiff enough.
I was told to buy a bench scraper, as you can put the bottom of the blade on the turntable, so you get an even application. Since the bottom of the blade is flat, you are less likely to accidently change that angle, like you would with a putty knife. I plan on getting one from Michael's, but the acetate certianly has my interest.
Unless you are trying to ice a sphere, stick with the bench scraper because the acetate isn't stiff enough.
That's what I think about this 3 ring binder plastic the more I look at it.
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