# Avatars - what & why??



## woody67 (15 Sep 2007)

Curiosity strikes again, but why do we choose what we use as Avatars? Mines a shot of The Lake District, cos it's where I live! (homer) 
What and why do you fellow Woodies choose?

Mark


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## misterfish (15 Sep 2007)

My image is (obviously) linked to my name. The reason for the name (which bears no relationship to my real name) is based on an old family 'joke' started by my younger son about 20 years ago!

Misterfish


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## Smudger (15 Sep 2007)

Mine's a monkey.


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## Woody Alan (15 Sep 2007)

mines one of my ocicats I just liked the picture.

Alan


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## Nick W (15 Sep 2007)

Mine is a close up of one of a pair of noticeboards I made for Trinity College Chapel, with the chapel windows reflected in the glass. Unfortunately a new Dean of Chapel arrived recently and decided he didn't want any 'furniture' in the ante-chapel, so they have now gone to two of the college's livings (parish churches supported by the college, where the college has the right to appoint the vicar).


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## RogerM (15 Sep 2007)

Mine's a Schemp-Hirth Discus 2 glider, and I fantasise that when my 6 numbers come up I shall spend most of my waking hours in the cockpit of one of these.


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## mailee (15 Sep 2007)

Mine is my home, well my workshop really. Ask SWIMBO and she would tell you it is my home though. :lol:


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## Losos (15 Sep 2007)

mailee":g8zni2ub said:


> Mine is my home, well my workshop really. Ask SWIMBO and she would tell you it is my home though. :lol:



Still think it should've won that competition :lol: and mine is curtisy of Charley 'cos I ain't worked out how to do avatars yet


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## woody67 (15 Sep 2007)

*Losos* - putting up your avatar isn't too hard - quite similar to posting pics really, the only difference being the size - 80 x 80 pixels is a good un. Simply copy your chosen photo (as when you're posting pics) and paste it in the "Links to off-site Avatar" box in your profile area and hey presto! Mind you,it took me ages first time


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## OPJ (15 Sep 2007)

Mine's simply a large offcut of oak with quite an interesting grain pattern and shape. Why? Because I haven't made any else lately and I'm not sure what to make with it (well, actually I have TWO!).

I might replace it soon with a shot of my shiny, new AW106 planer thicknesser (I've already managed a tiny scratch on the infeed table before I've even used it!).


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## Anonymous (15 Sep 2007)

woody67":eaa4v8si said:


> Curiosity strikes again, but why do we choose what we use as Avatars? Mines a shot of The Lake District, cos it's where I live! (homer)
> What and why do you fellow Woodies choose?
> 
> Mark



Photos I took through my telescope mainly - because the beauty of the cosmos is beyond compare


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## Gill (15 Sep 2007)

Mine is usually either a picture of the last significant project I cut or one that's practically complete and which I'm about to describe on the forum.

Sometimes I forget to change the avatars though  and sometimes I just like the current one, so I keep it.

Gill


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## brianhabby (15 Sep 2007)

Mine's a picture of the tea trolly I made for my mum. I may change it if I ever make anything better than that.

regards

brian


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## OLD (15 Sep 2007)

Mine's a garden office/room that my son designed and i constructed in two parts doing up a house bath/kitchen etc in the middle .It has some different materials than usual and we find it a haven of peace to use.


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## motownmartin (15 Sep 2007)

My avatar is me trying to play the Saxophone just like a Motown Musician, there's no chance, I can't even play the drums, mind you when I was a child, I used to play on the Linoleum :lol: 

Martin


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## Paul.J (15 Sep 2007)

Mine is of an Oak tree i took about 20 years ago on my old Yashica SLR.
Went back to the place recently where the piccy was took only to find the tree no longer their  
Reason for this piccy as an Avatar is i thought it apt to what we all do  
Paul.J.


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## Colin C (15 Sep 2007)

My Avatar is of the first big carving job I took on when I started working for myself ( well part of it )

I I am very happy with how it came out


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## PowerTool (15 Sep 2007)

My lathe - just because I'm happy there  

Andrew


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## RogerS (15 Sep 2007)

I change mine fairly regularly. I liked this picture of a green woodpecker going about his business. It was down to be changed but then it got referred to in the magazine and so it's had a brief reprieve.


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## DomValente (15 Sep 2007)

Mine is of a plane and have been waiting an age for someone tell me what type it is.

Dom


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## Paul Chapman (15 Sep 2007)

A wooden one  

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## Fecn (15 Sep 2007)

At the moment, my Avatar's a shot of me walking into my workshop late one miserable night - It tickled me when I was looking through the stuff that ZoneMinder had captured. I tend to change every couple of months and usually use whatever I last made that I'm proud of.


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## promhandicam (15 Sep 2007)

Mine is a chair that I designed and made when I was working in Cameroon. It is for young children with Cerebral Palsy. It was, in part, making these chairs that got me interested in wood work again. 

Steve


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## cumbrian (16 Sep 2007)

Mine is one of the red squirrels that visits our garden, mainly because I like it! If all our building work ever finishes and I can get my kit into one place I might make a few bird-proof squirrel feeders.


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## woody67 (16 Sep 2007)

Paul Chapman":1hsdqf5w said:


> A wooden one
> 
> Cheers :wink:
> 
> Paul



It might be made of chocolate - then it would be an aeroplane!


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## paulm (16 Sep 2007)

woody67":2pmrj1a9 said:


> Paul Chapman":2pmrj1a9 said:
> 
> 
> > A wooden one
> ...



:lol: :lol:


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## ByronBlack (16 Sep 2007)

I change mine fairly regularly - I don't think too much about it usually. I chose this latest one because I was going to take a break from the forum when it was full of bickering and what-not. But things changed and I didn't get round to changing it. I'm waiting to finish my workbench first and i'll have a picture of that.


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## Losos (16 Sep 2007)

woody67":1zpqzf99 said:


> *Losos* - putting up your avatar isn't too hard - quite similar to posting pics really, the only difference being the size - 80 x 80 pixels is a good un. Simply copy your chosen photo (as when you're posting pics) and paste it in the "Links to off-site Avatar" box in your profile area and hey presto! Mind you,it took me ages first time



Thanks woody - may try it tonight, I like a challenge :lol:


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## motownmartin (16 Sep 2007)

Losos":3kn22y0e said:


> woody67":3kn22y0e said:
> 
> 
> > *Losos* - putting up your avatar isn't too hard - quite similar to posting pics really, the only difference being the size - 80 x 80 pixels is a good un. Simply copy your chosen photo (as when you're posting pics) and paste it in the "Links to off-site Avatar" box in your profile area and hey presto! Mind you,it took me ages first time
> ...


When I first done it, it was massive and I got my wrist slapped by a moderator :shock: :lol: 

Martin


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## caretaker (16 Sep 2007)

I'm a train robber...


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## woody67 (16 Sep 2007)

Martin - I did the same too  It was to be of a windmill and it came up nearly life size!


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## andy king (16 Sep 2007)

Mine is the view inside a replica boat called The Matthew, built in Bristol to recreate the voyage of John Cabot who discovered Newfoundland in 1497. I worked on it from 4 months after the keel was laid, right until she sailed. It was the most enjoyable job I have ever had. The work was hard, the timber sections massive, but I loved every minute of it.

EDIT: changed to a picture of my dog who died on 29/9/07.
Bye old fella!


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## davy_owen_88 (16 Sep 2007)

Mine is the headstock from the last guitar I built.


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## cambournepete (16 Sep 2007)

Mine's my mad greyhound cross, called Josh


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## Bodrighy (16 Sep 2007)

Mine is a reflection of my life since I started turning....the further down the slope I slip, the more I seem to disappear into a pile of shavings.
Pete


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## tenpin (17 Sep 2007)

mine i found in a mobile phone screensaver collection..
cracked me up so i modified it size wise and used it
no relevance other than we have 2 cats...


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## aisuru (17 Sep 2007)

this current one i'm using as a mark of respect for Colin McRae. i bring it out occasionally for such purposes.


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## paulm (19 Sep 2007)

Mine is a picture I found on the net years ago that I have as a screensaver or wallpaper from time to time.

Was inspired by this thread to dig it out and change my usual bog standard and boring avatar !

It's a beautiful and massive, gnarled old tree in the New Forest, beech I think as the bark looks quite smooth but not certain, and a scattering of wild mushrooms in front of it (probably too small to see in the avatar version).

Combines my two favourite hobbies in one pic :lol: 

Cheers, Paul.


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## DaveL (19 Sep 2007)

Well mine is a clog, you can buy a pair just like them here, scroll down look for Laker.

Put it up as an aid to identifying me at shows a long time ago and have never got round to changing it, doubt as I will now. I like my wooden feet and even the bench height is set up for me wearing them.


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## Shultzy (19 Sep 2007)

Mine is the Fork Lift Truck which won first prize for me at a woodworking exhibition in '87 and haven't those 20 years flown bye  .


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## tim (20 Sep 2007)

I caught this 7 and 1/2 lb salmon on the River Conon three weeks ago. Beautiful part of the world.

Cheers

Tim


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## andy king (2 Oct 2007)

Just changed mine to a picture of my faithful hound Macduff as a mark of respect and in memory of him as he died on Saturday evening.
I'll miss him!    

Andy


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## Taffy Turner (2 Oct 2007)

Andy,

I am very sorry for your loss - he looks a lovely dog.

Regards

Gary


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## Anonymous (2 Oct 2007)

Andy

Sorry to hear that.

Neil


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## andy king (2 Oct 2007)

Thanks guys - he was a great dog!
Looked fearsome but soft as anything. If you broke in my house he'd give you a hand to carry the telly out!


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## Jaco (2 Oct 2007)

Looks like a great friend, sorry about the loss.


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## Mike.C (2 Oct 2007)

Sorry to hear about Mcduff Andy, it breaks your heart when they go.

Cheers

Mike


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## motownmartin (2 Oct 2007)

I don't have any pets myself, mainly because I was alergic.

I can understand that for a pet to pass away it must be like part of your life dissapearing, after all, they are part of the family.

Sorry Andy


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## andy king (2 Oct 2007)

I owe him a lot, he actually got me the interview for my job!
I put on my CV for the Good Woodworking job that I had a dog called Macduff, and the reason he was called it was because when it was time for a walk - 'lead on, Macduff!'
Phil Davy, the editor at the time thought it was fantastic and got me in for an interview! 
Nothing to do with what you know or don't know sometimes... :lol: 

Andy


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## Gill (2 Oct 2007)

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss, Andy  . I hope Macduff passed peacefully. 

My old dog is in her decline and I know I'll be heartbroken when she finally passes.

Gill


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## woody67 (2 Oct 2007)

*So sorry Andy*  Mines nearly 18 and I don't want to think................

Mark


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## andy king (2 Oct 2007)

Yes, he died pretty peacefully - he had a chest infection for a couple of weeks and was picking up after a course of antibiotics, but he was panting a lot because of it.
He was 12, quite old for a staffie, especially as he was a big 'un.
Wouldn't chase a stick when he could pick up a tree, and he would happily do so, a trunk or limb of 6inch diameter and 6 feet long would be nothing for him, he'd pick them up on the shoreline opposite my house and run around for ages! That's why his teeth are snapped in the picture, all done at about 1 year old, picking up trunks and throwing them over his shoulder...
As for trying to catch boomerangs I made for him - it's lucky he had any teeth at all!
Last six months he got old quite quickly, decided that walking was too much like hard work, but would still have a 'puppy moment' and run round the garden with a log :roll: 
Anyway, after his usual scrounge from my youngest daughter, he decided he wanted a walk over the field, and collapsed and died of heart failure.
Very quick though, and he died where he loved. I reckon he knew his time was up and wanted one last look of his old stamping ground.
I'm glad I never had to get him to the vet to be put down - I couldn't have handled that!
He's now buried in the back garden, and we'll plant a pear tree in his honour, but away slightly from him. He chomped through the trunks of two of them in his younger days and ran round the garden with them, and I still don't trust him not to do the same again!!! :lol:


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## tim (2 Oct 2007)

Very sad news indeed Andy. Its just not right that they aren't immortal. I'm glad he went in a way that you and he would have wanted (although always too soon).

Maybe you can make a vintage perry to remember him with.

All the best

Tim


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## Nigel (2 Oct 2007)

Sorry to hear of your loss Andy,one of the sad facts of life our dogs don't live as long as we do, only time will heal the loss,
My avatar until recently was of our Bearded Collie who past away at 15 years old and I never felt like changing it until the demise of my photo host, now my avatar is of our Cavalier King Charles spaniel who is 9 and loves to be on the bench whenever I am in the workshop, yes he is a bench dog,

Nigel


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## DaveL (2 Oct 2007)

Andy,

Sorry to hear this news, it is a big loss.

I love the story about the pear trees, very fitting he should have his own one.


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