i grabbed a husqvarna 235 today for $230. we'll see how she goes?
my buddy has one and said it would be good for what i'm looking for and they were on sale so i grabbed it.
i'm hoping i didn't make an impulse buy mistake :/
Hope it works great for you. Don't run a new saw straight-through @WOT until the tank's empty. Give it a low-rev breather every couple minutes.
Besides making PPE a necessary precursor to firing up, I'd suggest learning how to think through a project before firing up. Make it SOP to check over the saw at least every couple of tanks, unless it's having probs.
Maintaining chain will be very important. IMHO guided hand-filing (i.e. Granberg guide) is by far the simplest/best way to fly. Sharp chain will really ease things on an engine.
High-speed mixture is very important to avoid burning up engine. Simple test: @WOT, @ power-peak rpm, engine should sing 2-stroke song cutting. If you lift a bit (ease off load) engine should go off-song (4-stroke). Failing the second part, it's too lean- back out (CCW) the H adjustment until it does. Test that regularly, especially with change of seasons.
They're fussy little demons, but you can master them.