I should be getting rid of stuff but here goes. I manufacture
parts for my sister's loom business. Health issues will limit my
abilities in the (hopefully not too soon) future so I am considering
transitioning to machines that others will be able to operate.

I am considering buying a desktop (12" x 18" cut envelope) waterjet
cutting machine. I am trying to justify the purchase by hopefully
finding other uses for the machine. It can cut virtually any solid
material including paper, wood rubber plastic any metal including
hardened glass. It's great for gaskets and people are using these for
cutting stained glass. You could duplicate a nickelodeon glass panel
starting from a photograph, and probably with a lot less effort than
doing it by hand.

It will cut mild steel up to 1/4" so crank arms, etc., could be cut.
For thicker metal and faster speeds you would probably prefer plasma
cutting but for stuff under .25" the finish should be better requiring
very little finishing if any.

The cut envelope (the material can be slightly larger but not much)
is 12" by 18" thickness is more than would ever be necessary for
mechanical music instruments parts. The cut speeds are impressive.

If anyone has parts they are likely to want made (and will commit
before I buy the $10k machine) I am more likely to buy it.

Spencer Chase
Garberville, California
http://www.spencerserolls.com/