Ipswich, MA
Share this post With Microsoft pushing everyone to scrap their perfectly good Windows 10 computers for their new AI-powered Windows 11 systems, why not move to something familiar that is free and better? Replacing Windows with Linux is a great choice for keeping your older computer alive and on the web. On October 14, 2025,… Continue reading Install Linux On Your “Unsupported” Windows 10 Computer.
While Linux Mint Cinnamon and KDE Plasma are both great desktop environments, a primary difference is their file attachment dialog windows. When you want to attach an image in a document or email in Linux Mint Cinnamon, the attachment window displays a thumbnail for only one image file at a time. This makes searching for… Continue reading Comparison of File Attachment Dialogs in Cinnamon and KDE Plasma
With the end of Windows 10 support approaching in October 2025, I've been experimenting with various distributions (versions) of the Linux operating system as a free and open-source replacement. One of the complaints about Windows is that the desktop environment (DE) changes with each new version, with no options. For example, when Microsoft introduced Windows… Continue reading A Comparison of Linux KDE Plasma Distros
Full-extension 100-lb. drawer slides The client has an 1829 house with a small kitchen and asked me to create a base cabinet with shelves above it in a corner. The back wall is about 35 " and the walls are not plumb or quite square to each other, but with careful measurements, I was able… Continue reading Cabinet With Sculpted Shelves
In January 2024, the new owner of this 40-year-old contemporary house asked if I could install balusters and risers that would complement the open-design stairs, which are beautiful but inherently unsafe. This was a fun winter project! The stairs before the risers and balusters were added View of the new balusters and risers from the… Continue reading Balusters For an Existing Stairway
My client is an artist and asked me to construct two 8' x 8' rolling display walls for her studio. The frames are constructed of regular 2x4 lumber to which I applied painted 1/2" Homosote boards. The two units can be connected as a single 16' wall.
In his previous home, the orchestra conductor had shelves created to hold his collection of hundreds of scores of sheet music. In 2023 when he and his partner moved to their present 1740 house, the ceilings were lower, and he asked me to resize the shelves to fit. I removed the top row on the… Continue reading Sheet Music Shelves
This fireplace wall was built with three sets of bricks sticking out to support a beam. I purchased a 7 1/2" x 5 1/2" fir for the 104" beam, with the intention to cover the double upper and single lower bricks. The beam weighed over 100 lbs., and I decided to trim it down to… Continue reading Fir Fireplace Mantel
These Simpson performance doors are constructed of fir, and the exterior has a thin Medium Density Overlay Water Barrier that provides excellent durability and resists moisture absorption. UltraBlock and Weather Seal technology adds a water-resistant composite block in the bottom of the door stiles
This bookcase consist of three units, shelves and trim that I made in my shop and assembled on site. The kickboard, casings and crown mold are installed after the units are mounted.
This client requested self-supporting shelves for his collection of unopened vintage record albums.
To restore this front porch I replaced the deteriorated finger-jointed risers, post sleeves and skirts with PVC trim boards; replaced the rotting mahoganey decking with Fiberon Paramont decking; scraped, sanded, primed and painted all surfaces, replaced the post caps and extended the steps.
The owners asked me to design and build a new doorway, deck and stairs that would give them access to the rear yard.
For this 18th Century house in Ipswich I built a set of stairs from the deck to the rear patio. Design and construction meet or exceed the International Building Code and the DCA-6 Prescriptive Deck Construction Guidelines.
I laid out the frames on my bench and installed the lattice and trim with trim-head stainless screws. All surfaces received a coat of oil base exterior primer and two coats of white exterior acrylic paint.The units are mounted to 1 1/4" heavy duty angle iron, painted with white Rustoleum, and driven 3' into the ground.
I created this opening to bring light into the living room from the south side. Second-floor weight is supported by the beam and studs, transferred to the center beam in the basement.
Gordon Harris 