  Pat? Is it economical to buy a special router just for an alcoholic ice luge? Well, you actually don't need a "special" router. Any normal router will do. But I would suggest buying a router bit and only using it for the ice. You wouldn't want to use a router bit that you had previously used on wood, that's just not sanitary. But the question I believe you are asking is, "Is it economical to buy a router for the sole purpose of cutting grooves into a 300 lb block of ice once per year?
" The answer to this question is also yes. A decent router can be had for $60 or so and will usually come with a few bits. Now what you have to do is quantify the "fun factor", how much is it worth in some vague "dollar value" to have a party with an ice luge? Priceless. I'd say you'd payback your initial investment in the router instantly. It is way too much fun. And who knows, maybe you'll get the router out sometime and put a nice beveled edge on your deck railing. 
