newby w hood issus

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I just recently acquired a mig welder and have several projects lined up, but am having issues with my helmet. first how can i stop lite from comming in from behind? i have been using a towel but its not very effecient or fire proof. is there something that i can permanently attach to the hood and not be flammable? Second, im using a helmet that is not auto darkening and once the arc is started i cannot see the pieces and or the point where i want the weld to be,any help would be appreciated or am i missing some thing?
Reply:What shade lens do you have
Reply:What kind of helmet do you have and what shade lens is in it.  Manufacturer of helmet may have a cover for the back.  If not then cut up an old leather apron and rivet or attach to back of helmet.Sounds like you have too dark of a lens,  for mig you should try 10 or 11 but it's really a personal preference.   Everyone's eyes are different and you need to try a few out.  Luckily you can get 2x4 lens cheap,  you can see what shade works well and then consider a quality lens ($$$) if you need/ want one.
Reply:Some guys buy a cheap leather apron or welding jacket and cut it up to make flaps to either cover the neck or rear. I've seen the leather attached with all sorts of fasteners, from nuts and bolts or snaps to zip ties run thru holes in each, depending on how serious the owner is.Shade wise, it's usually personal preference. You want a shade that is dark enough to make sure you can see well without glare or seeing spots before your eyes after finishing, but not so dark you see nothing else. For fixed shades, I vary based on whether in inside or out, and what process I'm using. Every where from between a 9-10 for tig, to a 13 for stick outside.Fixed lenses are relatively cheap, so trying 2 or 3 won't break the bank. The gold lenses are more money, but many guys find them better than "traditional" tinted lenses, even of the same shade..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:No you are not missing anything. You are just going thru the learning curve all of us old guys did  before the invent of the autodark hood. Really if you practice you will get better at it. With hood up, look really hard at the torch and joint. Visuallize what the welding will look like when you start. Then freeze your hands and body and drop the hood and strike your arc without moving out of position. It will come naturally after a while. My last autodark I gave to my daughter, and she killed it off properly. We both now are using fixed shade hoods with #10 lenses. I like the gold Phillips Safety brand with cheaters, she likes the OEM filter that  came with her Jackson/Huntsman411P.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:You can also use a soap stone to draw a white line where you want to weld, or along side where you want to weld. This will give you a reference that you should be able to see while welding.The weld heat will burn off the soap stone and not contaminate the weld. Most of the time, when first starting, everyone wants to weld on flat sheets of metal. Instead, get yourself or make some 1" wide strips and overlap them like clapboard siding. This will give you long grooves to practice in and the result will be much closer to real world welding where you are filling in a beveled groove with the weld. Back when I was first learning, this made all the difference for me, but you are going to need clamps to keep them flat. Also, tack each end together before laying any long beads. Cold rolled steel is easier to prep than hot rolled.CharleyMiller MM252Miller Bobcat 225NTMiller DialArc HF / DIY Cooler2 Victor O/A TorchsetsMilwaukee 8" Metal SawMilwaukee Dry Cut "Chop" Saw 5 Ton Wallace Gantry Various Grinders, Benders, etc.
Reply:I found an old leather jacket at the Goodwill store that I use as a leather welding jacket.  I think I paid $8.00 for it.  I had to cut the lining out but it works really well.  Might find one that you can cut the lining out of (discard the lining) and have a nice piece of leather that you can work on your helmet with.