About Us

About Us:
Julie and Tim moved to Bend in 1978. Julie’s first job was in a rock shop called Cascade Lapidary. Tim did silver and gold repair work part time before starting a landscape material business in Bend. Being Central Oregon locals, they benefited from their many talented lapidary friends over the years. These friends include; Fred Adams, Judy Elkins, the Quant family, and their dear friend Howard Ball. Always owning horses or mules and being in the mountains year round, Julie and Tim have hunted agate and jasper as well as winter meat extensively in Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Idaho.
Over the last decade they have enjoyed a close relationship with Johann a German trained Machinist and also Master Machinist Ray Nelson. With their help, a few years ago Tim and Julie launched CigarBoxRock Lapidary Equipment Company. In the early years in Bend all of the old timers kept the best of the best high grade agate in cigar boxes. Thus the name stuck in Tim and Julie’s minds. Memories of Carey Plume, Priday Plume, Blue Biggs, Deschutes Jasper, and the list goes on and on for rocks and gems of Oregon. CigarBoxRock Lapidary specializes in the three largest vintage rock saw manufacturers; Frantom, Highland Park Manufacturing, and Nelson Saw Works. CigarBoxRock ship saws into every state in the United States and are purchased by some of the finest Lapidaries in the world.
CigarBoxRock Team

Tim Larocco

Susan
A descendant of Oregon Pioneers, Susan hunts deer and elk as well as rocks. She represents our company at local rock club events. She enjoys spending time collecting rocks with her granddaughter and her assorted great nieces and nephews.

John
John apprenticed at age 12. He is old school and the crown jewel of our lapidary team. Precision is the word with John.

Isaiah
Isaiah came to us with a background in Physics and Natural Science. Working at CigarBoxRock allows him to combine his passions of rocks, geology and tinkering. He always enjoys talking with customers and sharing his enthusiasm for lapidary work.

Joe
Joe has 20 plus years with working for Tim. He is a strong leader and keeps the office staff on their toes!

Keith
Keith is one of the newer members of our team.
We love the fact that he always cheerful and willing to learn new things!