I can't remember which typographer it was... but apparently he made the nokia phone's font... some old German/Scandinavian dude... Typo gurus here will know I'm sure...
I remember reading in an article about him, that he has either this or a laser cutting machine, for the sole purpose of cutting out letters he designs.
He was saying how it really helped him design the letters/fonts, as he could look at things from different angles and actually touch and feel them.
Things like this machine are great and will help with a lot of design related fields eh?
When you guys say expensive, how much are we talking? half a mil? a full mil?