Timing belts won't skip unless they are VERY loose OR you strip teeth off the belt (Not easy to do).
I did the initial design on the THC300 and it's a simple but effective THC with knobs for the height setting. It's a "dynamic" control meaning you have to set the controls as you cut. It comes from the reseller completely assembled and tested. It even has the interface card for the plasma unit and a Current Sense transformer to generate the Arc Good for controlled piercing. Coupled with MACH3 it offers a comprehensive THC solution with MACH being integrated with the control and active in the cutting process rather than stand-alone.
The DeskCNC pulse card will not work with MACH and you would use MACH3 as the controller software. You could continue to use their servo control cards and motors. There were some rumors that DeskCNC was going to make their new USB pulser interface card compatable with MACH3 as a plug-in but have yet to deliver that as a solution.
Tom Caudle
www.CandCNC.com