I haven't used them yet, but I am thinking about buying them for a cake I have to do next weekend. Yeah I know nothing like waiting until last minute to order something. I get the basic idea of them, I just want to make sure I order what I need.

I am doing a 6in on top on an 8in cake. I just need the 4in columns and a 6in plate, correct?

Correct! You'll love it. And don't forget to make the hole in the dead centre of your 6" cardboard circle before you start filling the cake on it. If you do forget and realise when you go to assemble both tiers, it's a pain!

You need the 4 in columns if your tier is 4 inches tall. Otherwise you can buy longer columns and cut them as necessary.

TexasSugar, following on what CarolinaGirlAsh said, unless your cakes are always dead on 4 inches, I would recommend getting the columns that you can cut. I find my cakes are usually 4 3/4 to 5 inches tall, so I always buy the 7 or 9 inch cuttable columns and use a pvc pipe cutter the get them the right size. You can get the cuttable columns from Susan Carberry's shop online The Cake Cottage (http://www.shop.thecakecottage.net/product.sc?productId=301&categoryId=-1 for 7 inch) or from S * u * g * a * r * c * r * a * f * t (http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/wedding/Wplates-pillars.htm)

TexasSugar, I have a 4 tier wedding cake to make in May. I plan on trying the SPS system too. I'm hoping it's as great as everyone says. I am getting the 4 inch columns..I'm going to make sure my cakes are 4in because I don't want to have to cut any. I'm praying the are pretty precise on the measurements of their columns. Let me know how it goes after you use it!!!

I'll look into the cutable ones, it will just depend on the shipping costs on it. If not, I'll just have to measure my cake as I put it together.

Cutting them is a pain in the neck. It is just so much easier to have your cakes be 4 inches tall.
I always just fill my pans at least 3/4 of the way full with batter so that they rise over the top of the pan and then level in the pan. Each layer is 2 inches tall and then I add a layer of filling. Works perfectly with the 4 inch columns

Ive never had any problems cutting the columns...of course, I have only cut them once and I used my husbands chop saw (clean of course), and then cleaned the columns after....

I bought both, so I have options.

I usually torte both my cake layers, so there is three layers of filling/icing, which adds extra height. I may start with slightly shorter cakes than usual.

You guys do realize that there's a 5" column, pre-cut, right?

It comes in the multi-piece set.

Where do you get those Leah? I ordered through Global Sugar Arts and didn't see a multi piece set.

Well, I pretty much don't order from GSA, but lemme check their site. BRB

Here it is
http://www.globalsugarart.com/product.php?id=21161&name=Grecian%20Column%20Multi-piece%209%20inch%20%2812%20pack%29%20by%20Bakery%20Crafts

Okay I saw those, but I wasn't sure what the two pieces were and how tall each piece was. Wonder if I could ammend my order.

My order was already shipped out. At this time I can't justify another order with a $12 shipping on top of the cost of one item.

I'll try to make the cake 4ins, if not I will have the others I can cut down for this try, and next time I will order the other size.

Thanks everyone!

Okay, please overlook my ignorance. The hole in the center of the cardboard, I looked up how to use the SPS (or so I thought) and I understand about the plate and the colums connection... what is the hole in the center of the cardboard for? Is there a skinny dole that goes through the center of all of the tiers?

From my understanding there is a little peg that stands up in the middle of the sps plate. The hole in the cardboard will sit over that little peg and that is what holds the top tier in place.

Someone correct me if I am wrong.

Yes, the plates have a spike in the center which fits through the hole in the cardboard, thus securing the cake to the plate.