Jim's request is reasonable, and practical, but not idiot proof. Then again, if you make something idiot proof "they" will just go an invent a better idiot....
Most deli slicers are a 12" blade, and can range from 2-$4000. At this price they are all-metal and well built, but hard to clean.
The problem is the blade. At 12" in dia. and made of s/s it weighs a bit. Handling an unwieldy (where do you hold it?)i razor sharp heavy object and sanitizing it without injuring yourself or damaging the edge on the blade in the process is virtually impossible. Not impossible, but virtually impossible. I dunno, maybe a plastic cage that has to snap around the blade before it can be removed, and can't be removed until the blade is safely secured again.
Other than that, the deli slicer has a lot of good improvements, automatic modes, some with fully automatic portioning systems, built in sharpeners, gravity feed, you name it.
Oh, one thing. "They" (some of the meat slicer mnfctrs) refuse to acknowledge that aluminum oxidizes when it goes into the dishwasher. It turns sticky grey and the oxide film gets all over everything. S/s won't do this. Fahgettabout plastic coatings or even enamel plating--it won't survive the knocks and scrapes in the first month.