Start from a free, well-reviewed helmet or gauntlet file — the big 3D libraries grade the prints, so pick models with many maker photos, and check the license (personal-use is fine; commercial props need the file's commercial tier). Measure the wearer's head at the widest point, then scale to the model's own size notes: a helmet prints in parts when the build volume can't take it whole. The app's bench-gear list notes the printer sizes that fit a full helmet (bed ≥ 220 × 220 mm for halves).
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Layer height | 0.2 mm | The speed/quality balance; 0.28 for under-visors that get filled anyway |
| Wall loops | 3–4 | Armour takes knocks — infill alone cracks at the edges |
| Infill | 10–15% | Gyro-shaped shells; more is just heavier |
| Supports | Auto, snug | Interiors facing up need them; sand the touch points after |
| Orientation | Curves up, seams at the back | Layer lines hide inside the curve; the crown cracks if printed across its curve |
PLA: cheap, stiff, prints easily — the default. It softens in a hot car, so never leave a PLA helm on the dashboard in July. PETG: a touch more flexible and heat-tolerant, stringier to print — good for thin visors and parts that flex. Resin prints fine surface detail for masks and small faces, but the fumes and uncured resin want real ventilation and gloves — it's the advanced lane, not the first printer.
Wear it for twenty minutes inside before you commit: mark pressure points with a mirror check, then add the padding rings and a chin strap. A printed prop you can wear for an hour is a real prop; one that bites at minute ten is a shelf piece. And keep the build log — hours, spend, what failed — the next print gets better every time.