Hi Everyone

Ok- going to make another investment in my "hobby"-- one of many -ugh

I am in desperate need of the letter cutters- I would LOVE to hear as many opinions that I can get- and where di you get them? so you feel that buying the upper and lower is a good investment- etc- stuff like that-

Also- what is everyone using to cut the perfect circles- in foamcore- and cardboard- wood- etc- whattool are you using to draw it? and then what tool are you using to get such clean cuts?

One last question- are you guys cutting your cake boards to fit exactly under your tiers?

Thanks for any guidance!!!

Mo

I was trying to find these forever too!

I just did. Theyre a cutter called "tappits" from CK products. Global Sugar Art has them. I'm ordering them as a christmas present to meeee!

happy shopping!

I've had Tappits for several years. Never was really very happy with using them--too much time pin-picking out letters, too much breakage if they got too dry, too much distortion if they weren't dry enough..............

So, awhile back, I bought the Clikstix Groovy Alphabet capital letters. I used them for the first time right before Thanksgiving..............I was sooooooooooo happy with the results--quick to use, nice detail, no distortion. I had a long sentiment cut and ready for placement in about 15 mins.! This is the cake ("thrown" together in about 90 mins.):



As a result of the experience, I bought ALL of the alphabet & number Clikstix available from Globalsugarart. I imagine that if really necessary, I'll use my tappits, but if I can find a way to use the Clikstix, instead, you bet I will !

Rae

I like what I hear about Clikstix, but that groovy font is a little too 60's for anything I think I'd ever need. Tappits are quite useful, if you get the hang of using them

Oh I'm sure you do, for the benefit of others that are usually told Tappits are hard to use, is why I said that. They aren't hard to use at all.

Hi I bought a set I've followed the direction and I just don't understand can anyone help me please!!!!

I love my Tappits. I have all 3 sets. though I just ordered a clickstix just because I wanted a different font. I have no problem with tappits.

Tappits and I don't get along very well. When I "tap" them out, they tend to go flying. You have to roll the fondant/gumpaste so thin, they break, and yes, they tend to get stuck quite often. I eventually get enough to work for me, but it takes forever!

I know some people have gotten the hang of them, but I've followed every person's suggestion on how to make them easier and they still don't like me.

I'm planning to get the clickstixs as soon as my budget allows.

How I use my tappits is I roll it thin, then I leave it for about 15minutes. When I come back to it its already a bit dry, that is when its ready. I press the the letter and move it back and forth on the mat, it helps it clean the sides of the letter. As for taking it out, I use a cocktail stick to take it out. I do not tap it on the table. It comes out perfect almost every time. I dont even use gumpaste for letters, I just use fondant with no problem. You just give it time to dry.

I put plastic wrap over the top of my fondant and then use the tappits. That way you don't need to tap or pick the letter out of the cutter. I let it dry on my silicone mat and then move them to where I need them.

I like using the Clikstix more, but I often find the font is too big. Also in the script font, I find some of the swirly ends of the letters difficult to remove where there's nothing to push the fondant out. As someone mentioned above, I find if I leave the fondant rolled out for 15 minutes to dry, it makes getting the letters out much easier.

Whenever I cut letter, whether with Tappits or ClikStix,I dust my cutting surface with cornstarch & I use my cornstarch puff on the rolled out paste and also on the cutters. I like the paste to move on the board so that I get clean edges and so that I don't have to pry the letters off of the surface.

Things come out of both types of cutters pretty easily & quickly, but for me, more easily & more quickly with the ClikStix.

Depending on when & where I'll be applying the letters, once cut out, I may let them dry completely, partially, or store them on a flexible cutting mat in a zip loc bag so that they stay flexible for several days.

Rae

putting the plastic wrap on the fondant.....that is BRILLIANT. I will try this. I never use the tappits because of the problem getting the letters out. thanks for the tip!

Personally I choose letter cutters based on the font - if it's a style & size that I can use often, I'll buy them.

I have both tappits and cliksticks... I would say the Cliksticks are much easier to use straight off. But really, tappits are equally easy IF you have the hang of them...and it does take a bit of perseverance and experimenting to get the hang of them. When you get the knack for tappits you DON'T need to pick the letters out with a pin, at all, ever - they come out easily every time with a sharp slap of the cutter on the work surface. But yes, they can be frustrating before you get the feel for them and many people do resort to pin-picking the letters out, which tends to mangle the letters.

If you end up with Cliksticks just remember to roll the fondant thin enough so that the ejector bits are not making any impression in the letter you're cutting out...(I've seen a few cakes pics on here where these marks are clearly visible on all the letters & they really shouldn't be!)

All4Show thank you for the plastic wrap on the fondant. Can't wait to try it!

Hmm...I'm not so sure they're designed to be used like that. I would have said the ejector parts were intended purely to eject the letter (not for embossing as well), but hey, I could well be wrong (wouldn't be the first time - won't be the last!!).

Not sure if you can really make it out very well, but with this Clikstix font, when I did it the way I describe, I get a lovely raised edge around each letter:



I think it's visible on the G and on the exclamation point (which is acutally a capital i)

Rae

Add me to the list of Clickstix lovers.  Tappits always frustrated me although I did get them to work sometimes.  Clickstix just seems sooooo much easier.

I am a Tappit lover.

I mix a little gumpaste into my fondant , roll it to about 1/8 of an inch and let it dry slightly. Then I cut out my letters.

I have never had a problem with them sticking this way and I haven't needed to use any cornstarch. I swear by them!

I have pretty much every tappit ever made. While I have no problems using them ,  I have recently invested in quite a lot of Clixstix , I love, love, love, love, love them . The time they saved me on one cake , paid for themselves. 

just to say that i have tried the plastic wrap/clingfilm idea and it does work!

i only used sugarpaste rolled very thinly and smoothed the wrap over the top, used the tappit and pop out they come! i did have to tease the sugar paste off the wrap but i think if i left the sugarpaste a few minutes before cutting the letter out then it will work better which i am gonna try next time, will be purchasing some more now!

AAre there any available in a bigger size? These are all only about an inch.

Love, Love, Love  both Tappits and Clickstix.    And dang..... the saran plastic wrap trick workS like a CHARM!!!

It is one of the best investments in decorating tools that I have made this year.

With a slight touch up with a toothpick to straighten out the letters before they dry, WooHoo,  Letters and Numbers that can be read.  No more crappy hand-piped writing for me.

Oh... Am.... I.... slow......I just realized that the plastic wrap worked so perfectly for the teeny tiny tappits..........It will also work with all the other Patchwork cutters.

The little letters and all the cute designs.......OMG.  No more worrying about sticking in the cutters.