Joined: Sep 23, 2007
Posts: 333
Location: a little place I like to call "Earth"
Posted:
Wed Oct 01, 2008 3:52 pm
I read the tutorial on making own cookie cutters. So I went to Home Depot, thinking they'd know "something" about the metal... yeah right. They said NO aluminum Flashing was ever food safe. I didn't get the galvanized, because I know that's treated with chemicals. ( I do realize CC would not post an article that would harm someone. )
Anyway, I purchased some Aluminum flashing and now am left worrying am I going to make someone sick? I know there is an oil coating...
Can someone tell me exactly the type to get...because at Home Depot, much like Walmart, everyone's tagline seems to be:
"sorry... that's not my department."
thanks
TracyLH Frequent Member
Joined: Jun 26, 2008
Posts: 239
Location: Virginia
Posted:
Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:03 pm
Unfortunately, the aluminum flashing from Home Depot that the tutorial author purchased is no longer made the same way as when she bought it. It is no longer made with food safe oil, as hers had been back when she bought it. I found this out when I called the manufacturers of the alum. flashing at Home Depot and got the same answer each time - the way they make it now is not at all food safe.
The only type of metal to use would be one that is designated 'food safe' by the manufacturer, but, honestly, I am not sure any aluminum flashing is made that way anymore. Not to discount anyone at Home Depot or Lowe's, etc., when dealing with food safety you have to talk to the manufacturer directly.
Oh a 'happier' note, bakinccc goes to Hobby Lobby and buys large circle and heart shaped cookie cutters and reshapes them. I don't have a Hobby Lobby here and the cutters at Michael's are too small, so I am in the process of trying to find a supplier who will cut designated food safe metal into 1" to 1 1/2" strips. Right now, I am looking at stainless steel as it won't rust and holds its shape very well, but am working on trying to take that sharp edge off as it is too thick to bend over. I'll post the info on where/how to order once I get it figured out, which should be shortly.
Another option is to purchase the cookie cutter making kit from www.foosecutters.com. I am just trying to find a bit cheaper alternative.
If you do have a Hobby Lobby, give bakinccc's idea a try! I have recycled plenty of old, unused cutters this way, bonding them with JP Cold Weld. This is the same food safe 'glue' that KHalstead, the tutorial author, mentioned. I just scrape off any that peeks out from under the seamed edges. Just because that is me!
So, sorry to be the bearer of bad news , but if you got the same alum. flashing I got at Home Depot (and I am guessing you did), you really can't use it. I did go up and down the aisles and struck out left and right when I called the manufacturer of anything that seemed it might work, so tthat is why I am researching metal myself. Hope this helps and again, sorry for the bad news!
Mike1394 Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 20, 2008
Posts: 943
Location: Michigan
Posted:
Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:27 pm
HUH. Aluminum is aluminum. Even different grades are still aluminum. Your right if it's coated it isn't food safe. Just make sure you wash it real good with a solvent like an acetone. Acetone won't leave an oily residue. The you can wash it regularly.
Mike
TracyLH Frequent Member
Joined: Jun 26, 2008
Posts: 239
Location: Virginia
Posted:
Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:55 pm
Goodness, I feel like Chicken Little! "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" I did ask the manufacturer if I washed it many, many, many times if I could get the non-food safe oils off and he said I couldn't. He said it had to do with what they used in the processing, but if Mike has the magic solution, that is really great!
Mike1394 Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 20, 2008
Posts: 943
Location: Michigan
Posted:
Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:05 pm
TracyLH wrote:
Goodness, I feel like Chicken Little! "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" I did ask the manufacturer if I washed it many, many, many times if I could get the non-food safe oils off and he said I couldn't. He said it had to do with what they used in the processing, but if Mike has the magic solution, that is really great!
You have hot rolled, cold rolled, and casted aluminum. I don't have a magic solution, but aluminum is aluminum. How it was processed doesn't matter. Now as long as we aren't talking galvinized.
Mike
TracyLH Frequent Member
Joined: Jun 26, 2008
Posts: 239
Location: Virginia
Posted:
Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:07 pm
Thanks for the info, Mike! Much appreciated!
K2cakes Frequent Member
Joined: Sep 23, 2007
Posts: 333
Location: a little place I like to call "Earth"
Posted:
Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:18 pm
Mike1394 wrote:
HUH. Aluminum is aluminum. Even different grades are still aluminum. Your right if it's coated it isn't food safe. Just make sure you wash it real good with a solvent like an acetone. Acetone won't leave an oily residue. The you can wash it regularly.
Mike
thanks everyone~ I just want to make REAL sure I'm not going to hurt anyone. The worker said, after much prodding, that I could "burn" off the oil. I feel stupid because here I am a welder asking about aluminum
Definitely NOT galvanized... that much I do know. Steel I can handle, but they don't carry thin sheets around here... I asked.
I think I'll try the acetone. Mike, have you made your own cutters this way? The type I bought had the orange band (they said they were color coded?) I took a blow torch to my cutters today... not sure what that did in terms of cleaning.???
For the record, I wasn't implying that HD employees are thoughtless, etc... but I get the same response from both Walmart and HD everytime I have a question. "Not my department."
Thanks for being so helpful ~ I'm not the most patient of people...
TracyLH Frequent Member
Joined: Jun 26, 2008
Posts: 239
Location: Virginia
Posted:
Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:26 pm
I never got that impression from you about the HD employees. I did find I got a run around with a couple of the companies I called to check if their product was safe. (I think I went up and down just about every aisle.) I am guessing it was a liability issue in stating something could be used for food when it wasn't specifically sanctioned as such. Kind of a "I'm not putting my neck on the line!" sort-of-thing.
SweetDreamsAT Junior Member
Joined: Apr 03, 2008
Posts: 76
Location: Central Coast, CA
Birthday: Apr 10
Posted:
Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:37 pm
Tracy - I was going to PM you back about your cookie cutter question, but I might as well put it here for everyone else too. What's funny is that I originally bought the kit from foosecutters, and when that ran out I went to Home Depot to find some aluminum strips. Obviously, I had the same experience as you all did, and they all thought I was crazy So, I decided to go to a local metal shop - where they do welding, etc. The kid in the shop also thought I was crazy, but was happy to cut me some strips of copper with the top edge folded down (copper sheeting comes in different thicknesses, and sorry, I don't know the exact thickness I get) I shape my cutter according to my drawing, then I solder it using food safe pure silver solder. If you haven't used a soldering torch before, it takes a little to get over the intimidation factor, but I promise its super easy and so quick, you wouldn't believe it (there are also other steps involved with soldering - so would recommend getting instructions first). They charge me about $2 for each 20" strip which I get 1 cookie cutter out of. Pretty good deal! Next time I'll take them cookies, and maybe they'll give me an even better deal! One important thing - since you need to use flux on the metal to solder it and flux is not food safe, any of it that doesn't burn off needs to be cleaned off with a solvent (I use "goof off") then wash the cutter really well with soap and water.
Whew - sorry so long.
TracyLH Frequent Member
Joined: Jun 26, 2008
Posts: 239
Location: Virginia
Posted:
Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:33 am
SweetDreamsAT - Thanks so much!!! This will steer me in the right direction! I have called over a dozen metal places around here, asking about aluminum and stainless, but nobody had anything food safe of the right thickness. I will call again, asking specifically for copper. I love that they can bend the tops as my stainless idea is too sharp and won't dull enough. Thanks again for posting!
bakinccc Regular Member
Joined: Jun 23, 2007
Posts: 187
Posted:
Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:28 am
I don't mean to restate the obvious here, but if you'all are going to the trouble to find a food safe metal and find someone that can turn down the top edge to mimic a store-bought cookie cutter, why don't you just buy the large ones at Hobby Lobby to redo? They're so much cheaper than all the running around to get your metal here and the "fabricating" of it done there. If you don't have a Hobby Lobby near you maybe you could order them. I really wish everyone had access to the HL stores.
The reason I suggest this (thanks TracyLH for also mentioning it in your first message) is that I've been through all of this too and found all the same frustrations you're running into.
Seriously, if you have a HL store near you it's worth a try, at least IMHO. Good luck to you all!
K2cakes Frequent Member
Joined: Sep 23, 2007
Posts: 333
Location: a little place I like to call "Earth"
Posted:
Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:25 am
I have no intention of turning down the edges (what do you mean?). Mine do the trick, are filed for sharp edges, and that's about it... not fancy at all.
Well, I'm stubborn and live in Maine with very little chance finding what I need in terms of decorating... I wish we had a Hobby Lobby (whatever that is). Does anyone remember Grossman's or HQ, because I am so nostalgic for those hardware stores too....
I do order online from Amazon (no shipping on most orders over 25.00) but don't like to pay TONS of shipping costs.
I appreciate the info ~ I just wish there was more around here for decorating. We have a fairly decent art supply store about a mile away, but very little of what I'd like for decorating.
~take care all.
bakinccc Regular Member
Joined: Jun 23, 2007
Posts: 187
Posted:
Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:18 pm
I tried cutting strips of flashing and turning the top edge over to mimic a "real" cookie cutter (it makes the top edge not so sharp on your hand) but the metal apparently didn't bend very well and separated where I bent it. I was so frustrated with the whole "making my own cutter" process and didn't want to spend the money on the cookie cutter kits because they sounded expensive too. That's why I do the HL thing. I'm going to search the net and see if I can order from HL online or maybe another source. I'll let you know what I find.
TracyLH Frequent Member
Joined: Jun 26, 2008
Posts: 239
Location: Virginia
Posted:
Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:58 pm
bakinccc - Alas, no Hobby Lobby here! The ones at Michael's and A.C. Moore are too smal. Maybe I will be luckier when we move next. I really appreciate you checking to see if it can be ordered online!!!
K2cakes - I have made a couple with stainless 24 (?) guage and, although there was no blood per say, it did really hurt my hand to push down on the cutter. I resorted to putting an oven mitt on my hand that I use to push down. I did file, but didn't have the greatest luck as it still is a very narrow edge and I had the same issue.
MaisieBake Frequent Member
Joined: Jul 21, 2006
Posts: 457
Posted:
Fri Oct 03, 2008 2:20 pm
How about dipping in that rubbery/plasticy/vinyly stuff you use to coat tool handles?
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, but if you got the same alum. flashing I got at Home Depot (and I am guessing you did), you really can't use it. I did go up and down the aisles and struck out left and right when I called the manufacturer of anything that seemed it might work, so tthat is why I am researching metal myself. Hope this helps and again, sorry for the bad news!
"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" I did ask the manufacturer if I washed it many, many, many times if I could get the non-food safe oils off and he said I couldn't. He said it had to do with what they used in the processing, but if Mike has the magic solution, that is really great!
So, I decided to go to a local metal shop - where they do welding, etc. The kid in the shop also thought I was crazy, but was happy to cut me some strips of copper with the top edge folded down (copper sheeting comes in different thicknesses, and sorry, I don't know the exact thickness I get) I shape my cutter according to my drawing, then I solder it using food safe pure silver solder. If you haven't used a soldering torch before, it takes a little to get over the intimidation factor, but I promise its super easy and so quick, you wouldn't believe it (there are also other steps involved with soldering - so would recommend getting instructions first). They charge me about $2 for each 20" strip which I get 1 cookie cutter out of. Pretty good deal! Next time I'll take them cookies, and maybe they'll give me an even better deal! 
