Cigarbox Studios?

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H

Hotrocks

ShaysalltheWay
Good day everyone! New to forum and have been away from Model Railroading for a few years. Usually work on these projects during the winter, as playing tennis keeps me active in the better weather months. I live in the foothills of the Sierra's and visit the old mining areas near Foresthill, Ca. I take photo's of the Stampmills, etc. and try to replicate them in HOn3 or HO scale. Narrow gauge is my favorite, as are the "Shay's". I realize they were used mostly in lumbering. Anyway....I like the older Campbell buildings, Western Scale & Cigarbox Studios for most Diorama's I build.What ever happened to "CIGARBOX STUDIOS, they were a great kit & great people to deal with??? Thanks and Happy Railroading!!!
 
Welcome aboard. I used to live in the North Bay and made frequent trips to the the foothills, hunting for old mines. Cigarbox Studios was a one man operation that sold through http://www.craftsmankits.biz. I know they were around as late as 2006 but the models were always in short supply and the website no longer exists. I assume it was a short lived venture that just didn't make it in today's economy.
 


UP2CSX said:
Welcome aboard. I used to live in the North Bay and made frequent trips to the the foothills, hunting for old mines. Cigarbox Studios was a one man operation that sold through http://www.craftsmankits.biz. I know they were around as late as 2006 but the models were always in short supply and the website no longer exists. I assume it was a short lived venture that just didn't make it in today's economy.
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Thanks Jim- Did you ever get to the Herman Mine & Stampmill? Location was Deadwood Rd. off of Foresthill Divide. It started as a 10 stamp and later turned into a 30 stamp. 20 stamps are still standing. but slowly collapsing with time. THere are 3 boilers, 3 steam engines(Ingersol & Rand) and the stamps were madae by Hendy Iron Works(Frisco). I have put together a diorama of this unbelieveable area, mostly the buildngs, senery & mountains next attempt. Thanks......PS- Dave @ Cigarbox studios was a great guy, he gave me extra pieces free to scratch build a few buildings. I liked the quality.
 
I did indeed see the Herman Mine. It's one of the few in the area with a more or less intact stamp mill. I thought about adding the scene to my layout back then but never got around to it. I'd love to see pictures of your diorama.
 
Herman Mine

UP2CSX said:
I did indeed see the Herman Mine. It's one of the few in the area with a more or less intact stamp mill. I thought about adding the scene to my layout back then but never got around to it. I'd love to see pictures of your diorama.
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Sent photo's.......did you receive?
 
I got your PM but no photos. It's easy to attach photos here. Just click on the "Go Advanced" button on the bottom of a reply. You'll then see a different message box. At the top row of buttons, you'll see one that looks like a paper clip. Click on the down arrow next to it. You'll then have a chance to delect up to four pictures from your hard drive. They have to be under about 400k though. You can also open a free account at Photobucket, upload pictures of any size, copy the IMG code below the picture, and paste it here. PB will resize the picture to fit.
 


The pictures came through fine. Very nice work on the Herman mine complex. Looks just like what I saw when I was up there if you can imagine what the mine and mill looked like when they were still in operation. One suggestion is to not use the white beadboard for dioramas. Scout around Home Depot and Lowes for Styrofoam extruded foam. It comes in blue or pink. It's used for house wrap insulation and comes in 1" and 2" sizes. It's dense and strong and doesn't have all the little white particles that fly all over when you cut it.
 
Original Herman Mine Stampmill photo

UP2CSX said:
The pictures came through fine. Very nice work on the Herman mine complex. Looks just like what I saw when I was up there if you can imagine what the mine and mill looked like when they were still in operation. One suggestion is to not use the white beadboard for dioramas. Scout around Home Depot and Lowes for Styrofoam extruded foam. It comes in blue or pink. It's used for house wrap insulation and comes in 1" and 2" sizes. It's dense and strong and doesn't have all the little white particles that fly all over when you cut it.
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Jim- Here is a sight you can go to and see the Mines & Mining towns of the Foresthill Divide. Shows photo's in the late 1800's, so you can check out Herman Mine Mill constuction etc. & other areas. Go to http://mmoffet.mystarband or Foresthill Divide Historical Society. Then go to Historic photo's. When did you visit this area? There must have been a fire in that area because I find no remnants of a cookhouse?
 
http://mmoffet.mystarband.net/Pictures.htm is a link that works for the photos. I was up there many times during the early 70's since a partner and I had a placer mining claim about 10 miles away. The cookhouse was still there, although is was falling in even then. There was abig fire in the area in about 1982. I don't know if the cookhouse was destroyed in that fire or just by vandals. Most of the mine was fairly intact when I first saw it in about 1970. The last time I was up there was 1976 and almost all the equipment and a lot of the buldings had been carried off or destroyed by the usual morons who think it's fun to steal and wreck things in their giant 4WD pickups. I sometimes think that putting 4WD vehicles in the hands of the general public was the worst thing that ever happened to California mining history. :(
 
UP2CSX said:
http://mmoffet.mystarband.net/Pictures.htm is a link that works for the photos. I was up there many times during the early 70's since a partner and I had a placer mining claim about 10 miles away. The cookhouse was still there, although is was falling in even then. There was abig fire in the area in about 1982. I don't know if the cookhouse was destroyed in that fire or just by vandals. Most of the mine was fairly intact when I first saw it in about 1970. The last time I was up there was 1976 and almost all the equipment and a lot of the buldings had been carried off or destroyed by the usual morons who think it's fun to steal and wreck things in their giant 4WD pickups. I sometimes think that putting 4WD vehicles in the hands of the general public was the worst thing that ever happened to California mining history. :(
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Jim- Do you have any photo's from the 70's of the area. Did you do well with your claim? Did you ever explore the Red Point Mine, there also was a stampmill there, but I have yet to locate it. Very steep terrain and in the stream below were many ore carts, rails etc. Thanks for your reply!
 
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