i can't believe no1 mentioned, there is a trick to welding....you have to learn the molten puddle of metal from the molten slag for 1.....and u are definitley trying to string ur weld out....slow down the forward progression...and let the puddle fill out to the same width everytime, b4 you step forward....and if you will put ur metal on a slight incline(up to a 45*) and weld up hill it will help the slag run behind ur puddle.... and u only have to weave the rod if you are bridging a wide gap....so slow down let your puddle fill out, then step forward in a straight line, step about the thickness of your rod each step.
when starting out with a new rod, i hold the rod between my fingers w/ my free hand just a couple of inches up from end to hold rod steady.
as far as hoods, i wouldn't change my huntsman for anything on the market, i had an auto darkening hood that was acting just like you are describing....it took me forever to figure out that my hand or my stinger was blocking the sensor eye from the arc letting it go back to light, i hate auto darkening hoods! i use a huntsman with a cheater lens. cheater lens are magnification lens ranging from .5 to 3x magnification and it makes you look like you are just inches away from the arc!!
