The woodworker is second only to the blacksmith in terms of importance for healthy development of colonial settlements. Carpenters and joiners were needed everywhere, from house building to furniture production. Using a variety of tools, they would develop fairly sophisticated techniques - chiseled mortises (which sounds very fancy but is actually a way of joining two pieces of wood), carved moldings (which actually are fancy) and complicated staircases, providing settlers with sturdy and durable, if somewhat roughly finished wood items.