[Robin Craig]

Lionel, auto darkening all the way for sure, with a couple of caveats.

The old school style are good to keep as a back up. There are some jobs that it is worth having an analogue version.

Get one that has a variable shade setting and a grinding setting, that is very useful. Know what settings are for what if you dont know laminate the chart and put it on the wall. Various process types are brighter than others, like humans.

A welding helmet is PPE and very personal, I keep mine in a cloth bag and ensure it is not hung up to collect dust like many do.

Clean it regularily.

If you work outdoors and it is sunny then the sun will trip the darkening function depending on day etc. Having a leather drape as descibe by other is useful.

As per Richards comments the shielding gas gets blown away in the wind and that is why MIG is more suited to indoors.

Just a comment, one of my welding teachers always cautioned if doing repair work to understand why the part failed before welding it up to fail again for the same reason.

Welding is a skill and it needs to be practised. Soldering and brazing are also good repair and original fabrication processes and much under utilised or valued today in the instant world, consider them as they were the technology used years ago.

9/10ths of the welding success depends on knowing the best process and sequence before you start welding. Positioning and being able to rotate the assembly to your advantage aids a good outcome heavily.

Remember, welding processes from the 1940s were crude and often not acceptable by todays standards, spatter and undercut can be brutal.

Community college night school classes are well worth investing in for skills development.

Likely way more information than you wanted.

Good luck