Dusterbd13 wrote: Are you using the harbor freight wire? Because i learned that good wire makes a lot of difference. And harbor freight flux core wire aint good wire.
Interestingly my little tiny buzz box stick welder absolutely loves cheap harbor freight rods but struggles with the actual Lincoln rods.
They may say that you shouldn't weld, but that can't say that you didn't weld. 
No worries, you're getting better. I bought my first welder when I was 19, and I still have it 20 years later. Welding takes practice, and I've found if I haven't welded for a few months, it takes a few passes to get back into the feel of it.
To paraphrase Chevy Chase, "Be the Weld".
Rev, sent you an email.
All the info here is good. I can only add that when you get it right you get that sizzling bacon sound.
I tell my students that to make truly good consistent welds you need to lay about 1 mile of weld bead.
Your comment about the portaband not liking to cut the weld... that's because the weld itself is much harder than the base material. The same will hold true for trying to grind them down.
Keep up the practice just welding lines onto scrap plate. I find that getting into a rhythym with my hands helps, weaving my little puddle pattern along. Also, hand positioning is key for me. I rest my left hand lightly on some part of the work piece, and support my right hand (gun hand) on my left. I make a few practice passes at each joint without pulling the trigger to make sure I know what the path will feel like before I burn it in for real.
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