So I had been telling my DH how much I want an Agbay because I cant level a cake with a knife to save my life.. Last week he came to me and told me well, I WAS going to surprise you with an Agbay, but the website ordering method is a joke! Basically, because all they have is a pdf order form that you have to print out and send in and because they didnt have a modern website with a shopping cart where you could plug in your billing info and just place the order, he was impatient decided it was too much of a pain in the rear and said forget it.which gave him time to think
After looking at it, he decided he could make a knock off. And he did. Guess what, my cake was cut level! Hahaha, its not pretty, but it works pretty slick! Made a frame out of wood. And he only spent about 40 bucks in materials
Now for all the Agbay advocates who will say its not as good... of course not. Do I still want an Agbay somedayyou betbut for the time being We just saved at least $150 bucks! Considering I am just a hobbiestworks for me.
Note to Agbaytime to consider modernizing the website.
please share how he made it i've been meaning to make one myself ... i went so far as to buy a meat saw blade, some wood, and screws ... but never got around to actually putting it together.
I will ask him if he can give me some step by steps... I should have taken a picture to post with this... I will do it later, since I am at work right now...obviously working really hard, haha
That's interesting. I was just looking at the Agbay website last night and wishing. I also noticed you can buy just the blade and wondered if you could make your own. Can't wait to see the instructions.
share please!!!
I asked my DH about getting it, but as soon I mentioned the price he said: are you completely nuts?
I know they are totally expensive...which was why I was shocked hat he would even consider buying me one since I am not in business! Ok, I have sent him a message asking him to think about writing up some instructions...
Long ago I read here at CC that someone took her very long serrated knife and put earth magnets on each side (as many as she needed for how high she wanted to cut the layers) and she was in business!
Her problem was not that she didn't want to pay for an agbay, but storage. She said she was at the cake store where this lady showed her how to use her agbay, and then told her that before the agbay, she used the magnets. I think the magnets were like these.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dindustrial&field-keywords=rare+earth+magnets&x=0&y=0
For those who don't have mechanical inclinations, or mechanically inclined DHs, I got this info from Agbay, via personal email, earlier today:
"While we don't have actual online ordering, we do have the PayPal icon at the top of our homepage. It's really quite simple and almost like online ordering. Just fill in the info and then I can calculate the actual shipping costs before I send out a PayPal invoice. You don't even need a PayPal account to use it. About 85% of our customers order this way. I've found over the past 12 years that most of our customers tend to have at least one question. So I usually end up either on the phone or communicating by email. It's worked pretty well so far, especially with our overseas customers.
The form is really for those who want to fax or mail in the order."
Agbay will be at the ICES convention in Charlotte, NC in August, so if you're attending, you'll be able to see the product in person! I'm hoping for a nice "show special" and maybe I'll spoil myself!
HTH
Rae
HTH
Rae
I was actually thinking of having my BF make one using a band saw blade somehow. I bet using the Earth Magnets would help... I'll have to look into that In the meantime if you could post instructions on how yours was made we would all really appreciate it!
oh my gosh! Please just post a picture so I can figure out how you did it! I am pretty handy myself, but I am sure DH could look at the set up and make it for me pretty quick! Is yours adjustable in height or do you just raise the cake?
This thread distresses me.
We are all pretty quick to point out to those who do not know that you can't make and sell a cake using copyrighted characters. That you can't sell cakes made with Wilton character pans labeled "for home use only."
Yet everyone is all excited to copy a patented product that everyone who owns one thinks is quite fabulous. Yes, the Agbay is pricey. It's also unique. And it's made by a husband and wife team - a small, very small company just trying to make a living, much like the rest of us on here.
I'm in favor of entrepreneurship as a general rule, and I understand wanting to save money. What I can't accept is providing instructions on how to copy a patented product being promoted here.
Flame me if you wish.
Oh wow! Can't wait to see the photo and get instructions! Kudos to your hubby! Tell him we are all impressed!
This thread distresses me.
We are all pretty quick to point out to those who do not know that you can't make and sell a cake using copyrighted characters. That you can't sell cakes made with Wilton character pans labeled "for home use only."
Yet everyone is all excited to copy a patented product that everyone who owns one thinks is quite fabulous. Yes, the Agbay is pricey. It's also unique. And it's made by a husband and wife team - a small, very small company just trying to make a living, much like the rest of us on here.
I'm in favor of entrepreneurship as a general rule, and I understand wanting to save money. What I can't accept is providing instructions on how to copy a patented product being promoted here.
Flame me if you wish.
You raise good points Leah.
My take on it is this: Until we see photos of the home made leveller, I can only imagine that it would look quite different to the Agbay. And Agbay do not own the concept of a leveller after all...there are several companies manufacturing different versions of them. If someone were to post a 'how to' on making your own turntable, would we get outraged that people are not going out and buying an Ateco turntable?
When it comes to reproducing copyrighted characters on cakes, yes, people are quick to point out you can't sell a copyrighted image without permission from the copyright owner...BUT they are also quick to point out that it's fine to reproduce the copyrighted image or use the Wilton character tins on a cake which will not be sold (ie, for your own use at home.). I don't think anyone is planning to sell their imitation 'Agbay'
Just my opinion
I'm in favor of entrepreneurship as a general rule, and I understand wanting to save money. What I can't accept is providing instructions on how to copy a patented product being promoted here.
Flame me if you wish.
Leah, I would agree with you if someone was providing instructions to duplicate the Agbay, but I think what most are talking about here is instructions for a homemade cake leveler...not an actual Agbay.
Agbay wasnt the first cake leveler and it won't be the last and if you can't make your own "version" of a cake leveler for home use, then we can't make fried pork chops, because someone else thought of it first, or we can't post a video of how to do a buttercream rose, because we weren't the first to come up with the idea...etc etc.. as well as alot of patents have been approved for the improvement/change to an existing product/item/idea.
But I completely support the protection of copyrights and patents.
JMHO
Well stated sherrycanary62.
I would love to have and Agbay, but can't justify paying that amount of money, way above their cost, at this time. Hopefully, one day I will be able to buy one. And yes, I would still love to see how chrisviz
DH made the CAKE LEVELER.
I would love to see too. Can't wait! I've just tried the Wilton levelers and am not happy at all. Would love to have an inexpensive alternative!
This thread distresses me.
We are all pretty quick to point out to those who do not know that you can't make and sell a cake using copyrighted characters. That you can't sell cakes made with Wilton character pans labeled "for home use only."
Yet everyone is all excited to copy a patented product that everyone who owns one thinks is quite fabulous. Yes, the Agbay is pricey. It's also unique. And it's made by a husband and wife team - a small, very small company just trying to make a living, much like the rest of us on here.
I'm in favor of entrepreneurship as a general rule, and I understand wanting to save money. What I can't accept is providing instructions on how to copy a patented product being promoted here.
Flame me if you wish.
I am curious if you feel the way about recipes for non-commercial fondant or gum paste? No one is copying the Agbay, an enterprising individual helped make his wife's practice a little easier by making a leveler for her. If other people are interested in making their own based on his design what is the harm? Heck Alton Brown showed how to make a basic leveler using wood and blade from a elbow saw--is this ripping off Agbay? Maybe the title of the thread is unfortunate but it is no different than people asking others for ways to make commercial grade products.
I wonder does the OP's leveler have the capability to be adjusted like the agbay? That is why I love it..you can accurately adjust to the smallest degree. I don't see why people say they can't afford an agbay. Yes, they are over a hundred bucks. If you sell a couple cakes, a few more cuppies...you've paid for it. It's not like a sheeter where that'll cost you a few thousand. I agree with what Leah said also
I wonder does the OP's leveler have the capability to be adjusted like the agbay? That is why I love it..you can accurately adjust to the smallest degree. I don't see why people say they can't afford an agbay. Yes, they are over a hundred bucks. If you sell a couple cakes, a few more cuppies...you've paid for it. It's not like a sheeter where that'll cost you a few thousand. I agree with what Leah said also
If you're selling, then sure...but for those who don't sell cakes it's harder to justify the expense.
I am sorry that the title to my thread was "unfortunate", but it was meant as a bit of a joke... Thanks to all the inquiries... its a busy weekend for us, but I will post pics and some info as soon as possible... Like I said, its not real pretty but was pretty effective for me. I am sure someone can improve upon it, being he slapped it together pretty quickly for me so I could use it this week. It is adustable, but not minutely so..
So like I said initially, I would love to have and some day hope to have a real Agbay all for my very own
PS.. I also really wanted the $70 adjustable multi-strip fondant/gumpaste roller (not sure what to call it, but to make stripes, etc) a couple of weeks ago... DH made me another ugly home made version for about $15 bucks using pizza cutters, allthread, washer and nuts... haha
........then we can't make fried pork chops, because someone else thought of it first, or we can't post a video of how to do a buttercream rose, because we weren't the first to come up with the idea...etc etc.. as well as alot of patents have been approved for the improvement/change to an existing product/item/idea.
But I completely support the protection of copyrights and patents.
JMHO[/quote]
We can do roses and we can make pork chops because the recipe and technique are not patented or copyrighted...
Just saying!
I'm a huge Agbay fan. It took me two years to order one, and I have never regretted it, ever.
Last month I made two cakes, and average about 10-12 cakes a year, maybe. Yes, my Agbay is still worth every penny I spent on it. It is right up there with my Kitchen Aid on my list of must haves. Yeah, it's expensive for a single use item, but oh what a delightful single use item it is.
I've taken basic machine tech. classes in college, and I get the amount of labor that has gone into my Agbay. It is a quality item through and through, and my daughter or sons will have the pleasure of using it long after I am gone.
So, a couple of hundred bucks over the course of many many years of use, and saved frustrations, is well worth it to me. I will never need to buy another cake leveler...ever. That list has been checked off.
Thanks Leah for bringing me back down to earth I do agree, just was excited by the thought of having level cakes!
I've seen a lot of people try to come up with something similar - they spend small amounts of money on EACH attempt - they never really did get the SAME results and by the end of their 'inventing stage' they truly appreciated just how WORTH THE MONEY Agbay really are!
Just about anything homemade would be better than the crap offered out there as cake levelers! All except the Agbay.
I bought mine a couple months ago and all the stress of getting a beautifully leveled cake is gone. It really is an exceptional product. It is sturdy enough to be a family heirloom and yes expensive enough that it should be.
All in all worth every cent I paid for it. but if you don't have the $ and have a hubby willing to make a leveler good for you! Wilton needs to step it up with a lot of their products.
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