Taping Cakes Together

[Csection]

I have a question regarding cakes.

I have seen videos where cakes were blown apart from being weakly assembled and not wired together. I know Dave has stated that good cakes are wrapped with wire, but I've noticed that a lot of cheaper cakes are only glued together.

If I wrap duck tape around a cake, will it be strong enough to keep the tubes from blowing apart? Wiring each cake would be more time consuming and more costly.

[RalphieJ]

I have a question regarding cakes.

I have seen videos where cakes were blown apart from being weakly assembled and not wired together. I know Dave has stated that good cakes are wrapped with wire, but I've noticed that a lot of cheaper cakes are only glued together.

If I wrap duck tape around a cake, will it be strong enough to keep the tubes from blowing apart? Wiring each cake would be more time consuming and more costly.
I would use fiberglass tape instead of duct tape.

[Csection]

I would use fiberglass tape instead of duct tape.
That is a great idea! I don't know why I didn't think of that.
Thanks for the reply!

[ilovecrackle]

I use to block my cakes in 4's with duct tape (have since switched over to the uhaul tape). Usually give them about 3-4 wrap arounds. One year, I had a 500 gram cake blow apart but the duct tape kept the remaining tubes pointing toward the sky.
A couple years later, I had a 200 gram cake blow on me and I had tubes everywhere, the tape didn't help at all. I guess it just depends on the cake.

[PapaBearPyro]

Huh, Duct tape is some strong stuff. I would have thought that's enough-now the tape on the 1 that blew apart was it Duct or U haul? I like the above suggestion of fiberglass tape or
stranded packing tape. Now its got me thinking-I have used Duct tape on cake wraps-now maybe something beefier mat be in order.
PBP

[ilovecrackle]

Huh, Duct tape is some strong stuff. I would have thought that's enough-now the tape on the 1 that blew apart was it Duct or U haul? I like the above suggestion of fiberglass tape or
stranded packing tape. Now its got me thinking-I have used Duct tape on cake wraps-now maybe something beefier mat be in order.
PBP

Both i used duct tape on.

[PapaBearPyro]

Wow, I guess I need to get that fiber tape to be sure-Thanx for the post:cool:
PBP

[Westpapyro]

Never are you going to be able to stop a complete blow out, use distance as your back up safety.

[PapaBearPyro]

Absolutely, space=safety
PBP

[ilovecrackle]

Never are you going to be able to stop a complete blow out, use distance as your back up safety.


Absolutely, space=safety
PBP

Absolutely. I never duct taped them together to help in case of a blowout anyways. It just gives them a wider footprint so they don't tip over. That's why i do it. Proper distance should always be your number one priority for safety.

[Csection]

Wow, I guess I need to get that fiber tape to be sure-Thanx for the post:cool:
PBP
That stuff is pretty strong, but distance is good also.

[chriskrc]

Huh, Duct tape is some strong stuff. I would have thought that's enough-now the tape on the 1 that blew apart was it Duct or U haul? I like the above suggestion of fiberglass tape or
stranded packing tape. Now its got me thinking-I have used Duct tape on cake wraps-now maybe something beefier mat be in order.
PBP

I have some duct tape that's thick and strong and some that seems like it's made cheap and thin. It seems to help with taping them together but I don't think there is a definite solution to stopping a blowout.

[MontanaMike]

Do cakes ever blow-out BECAUSE they're taped together (does one ignite its neighbor?) or is it generally safe to tape them? Is there any precaution to keep them from igniting each other (spacers, etc.)?

[ilovecrackle]

Do cakes ever blow-out BECAUSE they're taped together (does one ignite its neighbor?) or is it generally safe to tape them? Is there any precaution to keep them from igniting each other (spacers, etc.)?

I tape 200 grams in blocks of 4-8 and 500s in blocks of 4 and have never had an issue. Yes I have had cakes blow out but not because they were taped together.
I talon/ematch my cakes so there is no exposed fuse anywhere so I have never had a cake ignite another cake in the same block.

If you tape/block them together, just make sure you have all fuse covered and that "should" keep any other cakes from igniting prematurely.

In my early days when i was making cake boards, i started off using masking tape to cover the fuse with and found out really quick it catches fire pretty easily so if you are using masking tape to cover your fuse, in my opinion, would increase your chances of of cross fire but i'v since switched over to duct tape or uhaul tape to cover fuse and I have not yet had any issues.

[djsmurf]

I tape 200 grams in blocks of 4-8 and 500s in blocks of 4 and have never had an issue. Yes I have had cakes blow out but not because they were taped together.
I talon/ematch my cakes so there is no exposed fuse anywhere so I have never had a cake ignite another cake in the same block.

If you tape/block them together, just make sure you have all fuse covered and that "should" keep any other cakes from igniting prematurely.

In my early days when i was making cake boards, i started off using masking tape to cover the fuse with and found out really quick it catches fire pretty easily so if you are using masking tape to cover your fuse, in my opinion, would increase your chances of of cross fire but i'v since switched over to duct tape or uhaul tape to cover fuse and I have not yet had any issues.

I do something similar. Thankfully I have never had a 500 gram cake blow out, have had plenty of 200s go. Taping them in groups seems to help keep them pointed skyward. Most places I shoot have tons of room so safe distance from the crowd is easy to pull off.

I have never had a premature ignition of a cake due to another being fired in close proximity. As ilovecrackle said, protect the fuse and you will be fine.