I think alot of the problems people have with the carbs in these small engines can be connected to how the fuel used in those engines is stored.
If you think about it, the fuel is the same stuff that we pump into our vehicles, but once it comes out of the gas-pump small engine gas gets treated very differently than what just got pumped into our vehicles. Obviously AGE plays a part in the fuel's quality, but there's more to it than just that...
Back in HS I used to work during the summers for a guy who ALWAYS had problems with every small engine he owned. His engines never ran right, and it seems like he was always pulling a carb apart from something. Now that I think about it, he had about 10 gas-cans all in varying states of "crap" kicking around his place. Some were rusty steel cans, some were smashed up tin "gallon" jugs, and one of them even had a rag stuffed in the mouth of it because he'd lost the lid! Since he had so many cans, none of it was fresh, and he never took the time to keep the situation "controlled". (Left cans out in the rain, left cans out in the hot sun for weeks on end, etc, etc...)
Another tough thing on fuel is condensation. If you store your gas cans on the ground in an unheated garage, you're asking for trouble in my opinion...
The day after Thanksgiving it was 8-degrees at my house. Yesterday it was 43 degrees, and in two days its supposed to be back down to the upper-20's. What do you think THAT type of temp-swing does to a can of fuel that's already 3-months old? Not much that's good for ANY engine!
I'm not always good about it, but I "try" to keep my fuel cans on something other than the ground. It could be a shelf, or just a board under the can, but I'm not a fan of keeping fuel on the ground, close to condensating concrete or worse, a dirt floor. Also, do you always check to make sure the cap and little "vent" are always secured when you leave your fuel can? Just these little things can go a long way to keep stuff in your fuel that's supposed to be "in" and other stuff out of your fuel that's supposed to be "out".
Kraig-
" I've worn out two bars, countless chains, one clutch, one set of anti-vib bushings but the Husky still has the original spark plug."
Forget it, I'm cancelling my order to Charlie. He probably would just put a note in my box that read, "Ask Kraig for your sparkplug".