HELL-BENT Helmet: Complete Step-by-Step Build Tutorial

The build began as separate printed components rather than one finished shell. The main helmet sections and face plate were checked before assembly so the joins, eye openings, and panel shapes could be understood while every piece was still accessible.

This is also the best moment to identify obvious print defects or contact points that could keep two pieces from sitting flush. Correcting them before glue is much easier than reshaping an assembled helmet.

Workshop note: Dry-fit every major part before committing to adhesive. Alignment errors at the shell can travel into the face plate and side panels.

The larger shell pieces were brought together first. The goal at this stage was a stable, correctly shaped helmet, not a pretty surface. The visible joins and filler lines are normal: they record where the separate prints had to become one continuous form.

The shell was inspected from several directions while the joints were accessible. A seam that looks acceptable from the front can still create a ridge across the crown or pull a side panel out of position.

Workshop note: Let the adhesive reach the strength specified by its manufacturer before loading the seam with filler, resin, or sanding pressure.

UV-curing resin was used over the prepared seam areas to build a more continuous working surface. The liquid layer was applied where the joined parts needed blending, then cured under UV light until it was ready for the next stage.

The cured surface was not treated as a finished surface. Its purpose was to create material that could be levelled and shaped during sanding.

Workshop note: Protect skin and eyes from uncured resin and UV light, and follow the resin manufacturer's instructions for application depth and complete curing.

The cured resin and seam material were sanded back into the surrounding curves. This was an inspection cycle as much as a sanding step: level the high areas, check the surface in changing light, and return only to the places that still showed a ridge, dip, or print texture.

The front and side elements were prepared separately while they were easy to handle. Resin and sanding were used to refine those parts before they were attached to the main helmet.

Workshop note: Work gradually around sharp panel lines. Removing material is easy; rebuilding a softened edge takes much longer.

With the main shell stable and the smaller pieces prepared, the front panel was glued into place. The side panels followed, turning the smoothed shell into the recognizable HELL-BENT silhouette.

Each addition introduced new edges and joins to inspect. The helmet was rotated through front, side, and rear views to make sure the armour elements sat consistently before primer made everything the same colour.

Workshop note: Use the helmet's existing panel lines and eye openings as alignment references rather than judging one glued edge in isolation.

The matte-black foundation pulled the printed plastic, filler, resin, and sanded areas into one visual surface. That immediately made the helmet easier to judge: uneven seams and scratches can hide when every material reflects light differently, but a single dark coat exposes them.

Once the coat was complete, the helmet was checked from multiple angles. The black was both an inspection layer and part of the final colour structure, remaining visible in recesses and around the later skull graphic.

Workshop note: Apply compatible coatings in controlled passes and allow the drying or curing time stated on the product label before handling or masking.

The yellow skull began with a negative-cut vinyl stencil placed over the black face area. The openings in the vinyl defined where the yellow would land while the black eye shapes and surrounding armour remained protected.

Placement mattered more than speed. The graphic had to read correctly across a curved face rather than a flat sheet, so the vinyl was worked into position around the eye openings and changes in surface angle.

Workshop note: Press down the paint-facing edges carefully. Any lifted edge can allow spray to travel underneath and soften the graphic.

After the stencil was placed, the rest of the helmet was wrapped with paper and painter's tape. This protected every area that needed to remain black while leaving only the skull graphic exposed.

The yellow was built through controlled spray passes rather than one heavy application. The clips show the first coverage and the later build-up while the masking remains in place. The final masked view confirms full yellow coverage before the reveal.

Workshop note: Keep the spray area ventilated, use suitable respiratory protection, and follow the coating label for distance, recoat windows, temperature, and drying time.

Removing the paper, tape, and vinyl revealed the clean yellow skull against the black foundation. This was the last point where the helmet looked freshly painted rather than battle-worn.

The reveal was inspected before weathering so any paint edge that needed attention could be seen clearly. It also established the contrast that later scratches and metallic wear would break up.

Workshop note: Remove masking with care and avoid dragging loose tape across fresh paint. The coating should be ready for handling according to its product instructions.

The clean black-and-yellow helmet was pushed toward a used armour finish with rubbed edges, chipped yellow, scratches, and exposed metallic highlights. Silver details helped the side panels remain readable against the dark shell, while the black lenses completed the expression of the face.

The goal was not random damage. Wear was concentrated where handling, impacts, and friction could plausibly affect the surface, allowing the original panel shapes to stay clear. A compatible protective finish tied the completed paint layers together.

The final helmet is still recognizably the same printed shape from the first step, but the raw-print character has disappeared beneath the assembly, surface work, graphic treatment, and controlled weathering.

Workshop note: HELL-BENT is a fan-made artistic homage inspired by Helldivers 2. It is intended for cosplay, photography, and display only and is not protective safety equipment.