Critique my welds!

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Just started welding two weeks ago. I have been practicing on 1/8th " mild steel and some .065 wall 1" tubing. Today i got to crank up the settings on my brand new welder and see what she could do.This was just a strait drag. _________This is a /\/\/\/\/ motion with a slight pause at the ends. And at the end of this piece i tried half moons that touched end to end and stagger. On the other side: Half moons.Any tips? Am i doing alright? Hobart 140mig, 130cf tank, flowing 10cfh of 75/25 argon co2, using .030 solid wire.
Reply:I'm about to start welding myself as soon as I can find a machine, so I can't comment on weld quality, but it sure looks like you know what your doing compared to my piddling around.
Reply:Steel in the picts looks thicker than 1/8" to me. (could just be an illusion) To me they look like 1/4"-3/8" steel.The beads in the last pict look a bit cold. The others don't look all that bad.Generic note: Those little 110v welders do at best 1/8" usually. You can lay pretty looking beads on thicker metals, but you don't get the penetration needed. Do a T joint on one side and whack it over towards the weld with a hammer. You'll break the weld and easily see just how deep the machine penetrated. As long as you stay within the limits of the machine they are great, but many seem to think the machine can weld much thicker steel than they really can just because the beads look nice from the top.Oh BTW, very nice job on the close up picts. It's real easy to see what you did. Thanks..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWSteel in the picts looks thicker than 1/8" to me. (could just be an illusion) To me they look like 1/4"-3/8" steel.The beads in the last pict look a bit cold. The others don't look all that bad.Generic note: Those little 110v welders do at best 1/8" usually. You can lay pretty looking beads on thicker metals, but you don't get the penetration needed. Do a T joint on one side and whack it over towards the weld with a hammer. You'll break the weld and easily see just how deep the machine penetrated. As long as you stay within the limits of the machine they are great, but many seem to think the machine can weld much thicker steel than they really can just because the beads look nice from the top.Oh BTW, very nice job on the close up picts. It's real easy to see what you did. Thanks.