Hi,
i am investigating a third alternative, it is a laser system from a company called epilog. they make small lasers that work off of image files from applications like vcarve or corell draw. they have a very high accuracy and lightning speed, on the order of 100 inches per minute cutting materials similar to the "ablam" that i use for my inlay work.
they run in the 40 to 80- watt range and work a lot like a dot matrix printer. the cost is well below 10k for table sizes of 12x12 and 12x18, which is great for the type of work i am doing. they are a CO2 based system and have many advantages over a router or a mill. very thin "kerf" about .001". They are capable of making the sharp corners that inlay artists love, no cutters to wear or break, made in the U.S. real win win stuff.
I am in the process of working with the local sales rep to test one out on the material i use. i will keep you posted. the real concern is how accurately it can hold "depth" on the "pockets" that my inlay work "guzinta" so we will be testing some of the various hardwoods used in musical instruments to see if it is possible to maintain a reasonably even depth.
have a great week!
Jen