These tools are handmade from wood and steel. Some are used for spinning pewter on a lathe, a process in which the craftsman works the metal over a chuck or form. Others are used for centering or cutting the pewter. Each one is mounted on the spinning lathe to serve as a sort of template, when that design is made. A carefully made disk of pewter is centered on the lathe and lubricated with a special recipe of spinner's soap to reduce friction.
Pace is a critical element in the process of spinning pewter.
If the spinner works too quickly or too slowly the metal can become fatigued and break. Great care and skill is required to become a master spinner. A number of Danforth designs, including pear vases and oil lamps, require additional steps to create their distinctive shapes. There is an even greater level of skill required here, which makes the pieces of these design groups uncommon and prized. To finish the pewter, successive grades of sanding cloth are used.