This is interesting. This bench top water jet is affordable for the small fab shops at $7500. can the home built kits be far behind...maybe use a pressure washer as the pump..?
Sci-tech experimenter, Ben Krasnow, is surprised at how well his super-cheap, homebrewed waterjet cutter turned out.
makezine.com
Apparently the little electric pressure washer burned itself up so he did try #2 with a gas one.. I reckon you could probably adjust the motor controls on an electric to "save" it if you were motivated.
I remember at Johnson & Johnson we had an OMAX waterjet. That thing could cut thru 1" thick steel. I have looked into FLOW also at my last company. Very intrigue process. I could find reasons to use that technology. Interesting thing is - airline carpeting is waterjet cut.
I remember seeing a documentary on the logging industry and much of the dimensional lumber they produced was water jet cut. The water was moving through so fast that it didn't soak into the wood.