I'm new to two-stroke gas-powered equipment having owned the following
California-emissions models for only six months and I'd like to ask one
question of each:
1. Craftsman 18" two-stroke chain saw
2. Echo 20" two-stroke hedge trimmer
3. Yardman two-stroke vacuum/blower

Craftsman 18" chain saw:
Is it "normal" for a chain saw to take up to 30 or so pulls before the darn
thing starts and stays running?

Echo HC150 Hedge trimmer:
Is it "normal" for the sliding blades to bind every hour or so,
necessitating loosening of the bolts spaced every six inches or so?

Yardman vacuum/blower/mulcher:
Is it "normal" for the blower to basically be almost useless and for the
vacuum to get clogged constantly (on leaves & twigs mostly) such that,
after twenty minutes, you have to spend a half hour cleaning out the
passageways?

I ask because:
a) I'd expect a chain saw to start like the Honda pressure washer does ...
one pull and on it goes, not 30 pulls.

b) I'm not sure what's happening with the hedge trimmer; why are the nuts
tightening up in use? Is that what happens with hedge trimmers?

c) Basically, the vacuum/blower/mulcher is basically useless. I'm not sure
why anyone buys these. I had to go out and buy the Echo PB-500HC
(C=california) backpack blower just to get a decent blower but now I need a
decent vacuum and don't know what to get.

These are all lessons learned (that I wish I knew before I bought) ... do
you have similar experiences or did I just buy the wrong tools?