Confection frames

[sote23]

Looking at the pics, do they lock into place? i'm assuming they can made to different sizes as well.

luis

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The beauty of caramel rulers is that you can adjust them to any size you need. These ones are just some stainless bar I had cut by the Metal Supermarket. Got hubby to polish the ends and remove any burrs for me. I seem to recall they cost me less than $30.

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thanks kerry, that is a great idea. Any idea what size or thickness they are, so I can look for the same thing.

the ones I see for sale such as this one, don't seem to be as hefty as what your using.

http://www.pastrysampler.com/Products/360.htm

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These are my light ones actually. They are 3/8 by 1 inch. I had 2 cut 8 inches long, 2 cut 12 inches long. The first set I had made were 1/2 inch by 1 inch, two were 18 inches, two were 12 inches. They are a challenge to fit on the counter. I don't need them that big, and I certainly don't need them that heavy. I didn't realize at the time that they would hold themselves up just fine at about half the weight.

I bet you could get 1/4 by 1 inch and it would be just fine.

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hi kerry,

One question, are the bars solid all the way through or hollow? I went to my local hardware store looking for them and they only had square bars that were hollow and not the size I was looking for.

[alanamoana]

i'm not kerry, but the bars are solid metal. very heavy. they aren't cheap when purchased from pastry specific stores or web-sites and due to their weight, shipping might be prohibitive. not sure what the equivalent would be in hardware terms.

regarding mendiants, i put my tempered chocolate into a disposable piping bag and pipe disks. usually i can do a few rows at a time, then sprinkle on nuts and dried fruit before the chocolate crystallizes. you can really control the size better this way. also, the disks can be really uniform circles. a fun way to make petit fours.

[Kerry Beal]

hi kerry,

One question, are the bars solid all the way through or hollow? I went to my local hardware store looking for them and they only had square bars that were hollow and not the size I was looking for.

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As Alana mentions, they are solid and very heavy. Not sure where you are located but here is a link to the metal supermarkets. Perhaps you can find one close to you.

[KKLL00b]

Try doing a Google search with stainless steel bar stock as the seach criteria.

Local machine shops may stock 'popular' sizes. You can also check bed and bath places to see if they have stainless steel towel bars in the size you are looking for.

[sote23]

i'm not kerry, but the bars are solid metal.  very heavy.  they aren't cheap when purchased from pastry specific stores or web-sites and due to their weight, shipping might be prohibitive.  not sure what the equivalent would be in hardware terms.

regarding mendiants, i put my tempered chocolate into a disposable piping bag and pipe disks.  usually i can do a few rows at a time, then sprinkle on nuts and dried fruit before the chocolate crystallizes.  you can really control the size better this way.  also, the disks can be really uniform circles.  a fun way to make petit fours.

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ok, so what they had at the hardware store is not what i'm looking for.

thanks for the info on the mediants, I will have to take a look at making them in the future.

[sote23]

hi kerry,

One question, are the bars solid all the way through or hollow? I went to my local hardware store looking for them and they only had square bars that were hollow and not the size I was looking for.

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As Alana mentions, they are solid and very heavy. Not sure where you are located but here is a link to the metal supermarkets. Perhaps you can find one close to you.

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thanks kerry, there is one about 30 mins from me.

[David J.]

Thanks for the idea. It turns out that there is a metal supermarkets less than seven miles from my house. I should be able to get my own caramel rulers on the cheap. Wish I knew about this place before I mail ordered the metal for my guitar cutter (which I will finally get to this week of vacation).

[sote23]

I noticed on the metels supermarket website, they have different types of stainless steel bars you can get like 303, 304, etc. does it matter which one is used?

[Kerry Beal]

I noticed on the metels supermarket website, they have different types of stainless steel bars you can get like 303, 304, etc. does it matter which one is used?

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I don't know the answer to this one. I'd suggest you go and talk with them and see what they have to say the differences are.

[sote23]

I noticed on the metels supermarket website, they have different types of stainless steel bars you can get like 303, 304, etc. does it matter which one is used?

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I don't know the answer to this one. I'd suggest you go and talk with them and see what they have to say the differences are.

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no problem, i thought you might know which one you got.

[sote23]

I just picked up the stainless steel rods at the metal supermarket, and it came out to $49. oh well, i guess that's still pretty good.

Luis

[Kerry Beal]

I just picked up the stainless steel rods at the metal supermarket, and it came out to $49. oh well, i guess that's still pretty good.

Luis

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Did they explain the differences between the types?

[sote23]

I just picked up the stainless steel rods at the metal supermarket, and it came out to $49. oh well, i guess that's still pretty good.

Luis

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Did they explain the differences between the types?

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they didn't explain it at all. they gave me the 304 type. the thing that stinks, it has red and blue paint on some of the pieces. since these will be touching ganache etc, how did you clean them?

[Kerry Beal]

I just picked up the stainless steel rods at the metal supermarket, and it came out to $49. oh well, i guess that's still pretty good.

Luis

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Did they explain the differences between the types?

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they didn't explain it at all. they gave me the 304 type. the thing that stinks, it has red and blue paint on some of the pieces. since these will be touching ganache etc, how did you clean them?

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I get my husband to take them into the basement, clean them up with the wire brush on the buffing wheel, grind off any rough edges and give them a little polish with some jewellers rouge.

Acetone would likely remove the paint if you don't have a buffer of some sort, then run them through the dishwasher.

[sote23]

I just picked up the stainless steel rods at the metal supermarket, and it came out to $49. oh well, i guess that's still pretty good.

Luis

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Did they explain the differences between the types?

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they didn't explain it at all. they gave me the 304 type. the thing that stinks, it has red and blue paint on some of the pieces. since these will be touching ganache etc, how did you clean them?

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I get my husband to take them into the basement, clean them up with the wire brush on the buffing wheel, grind off any rough edges and give them a little polish with some jewellers rouge.

Acetone would likely remove the paint if you don't have a buffer of some sort, then run them through the dishwasher.

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I don't have a buffer, but I know someone that does. dishwasher, i would have never thought of that.