I am working with a designer that has me doing some veneered tabletops with some inlay work.The inlay's aren't real detailed like marquetry work,just letter's for customer initials,and some other shapes like diamonds or circles.I want to find a quicker/easier way to do the inlay work.Right now I use a router with an inlay kit for patterns that are big enough.I use removeable spray adhesive,then rout the inlay's ,and use a clothes iron to release them.This works ok,but I still have to rely on someone else to make alot of my patterns with a CNC.Also,the router inlay kit has alot of limitations due to the size of the bushing.For smaller pieces,I am using an Exacto knife,which works,but is too slow for my liking.I am thinking about getting a benchtop CNC to make this inlay work quicker and easier,but I don't know how well it would work.I was thinking I would use spray adhesive to hold the veneer down to a MDF substrate like I am currently doing with the router inlay kit,then release it with heat after it is cut out. My main questions are,
1-Would the shark cut accurately enough to do nice inlay work?
2-What would the cut quality be like in figured wood or burls?
3-If there are better choices for machinery,I would like hear about some other choices (different brand CNC or even a laser cutter).
I don't want to spend a ton of money on this,maybe the $4000 range,I am a cabinetmaker and just do this kind of stuff here and there.I am leaning more towards the router vs. the laser because I could use it for some other things in my cabinet work,even though that is not my primary need for it.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.