Foxhead Workshop · How-To Series

How to finish 3D printed armor

The full method for taking a raw 3D print to a smooth, bare-metal finish: the process we use on our own armor, straight from the workshop bench. Slicer settings, prep, the guide coat smoothing method, painting, and applying a metal finish. From there, weather it or add color and chip it back.

Each stage has numbered steps, photos and footage from the actual builds, and a checkpoint that tells you when to move on.

Start at Stage 01 Get the work holders
Finished beskar gauntlet with Whistling Birds dart tips lit — the result this series builds toward

Before you start

What you need before you start

This series documents the method we use on our own armor. Not theory, the actual bench workflow, filmed while it happens. It works the same whether you printed our files or anyone else’s.

To begin, you need:

  • A printed part (FDM or resin, the method is the same)
  • Gray filler primer and a contrasting sandable color for the guide coat
  • 400-grit wet/dry sandpaper, a sanding block, and spot putty
  • A respirator and ventilation for the solvent stages

Every stage ends with a checkpoint so you know when to move on. And test the full process on plastic spoons before you commit a hero piece.

Start at Stage 01

The finishing pipeline

The steps to a professional finish: raw print to bare metal, then weather or color it.

Approach
The exact steps we use on our own armor, ordered for efficiency
Skill level
Beginner-friendly; every stage shows the method and ends in a checkpoint
Materials
FDM or resin: PLA, PETG, ABS all use the same process
A vertically printed gauntlet part with supports on the print bed
01

Slicer Settings for Cosplay

Orientation, supports, and the slicer settings that save hours of post-processing. A clean print is the cheapest smoothing you will ever do.

Print Read guide →
Two 3D printed jetpacks side by side: welded seams ground down on the left, Bondo-filled and sanded seams on the right
02

Raw Print to Primer Ready

Strip supports without scarring, join multi-part prints, fill the seams, and scuff for adhesion. The part comes out primer-ready.

Prep Read guide →
Gloss-black Mandalorian helmet dome and visor with hexagonal workshop lights reflected in the finish
04

Seal, Color & Gloss

Primer-sealer, base color, and a gloss layer straight from the gun.

Paint Read guide →
Guide coming soon
06

Color & Top Coat

Optional: mask the chrome and lay color over the metal (Montana Gold), the base for a chipped, painted-metal look. Guide coming soon.

Color Coming soon
Guide coming soon
07

Weathering

Battle damage, scoring, and chipping that age the bare metal (or the color coat) into a lived-in kit. Guide coming soon.

Weather Coming soon
Photo coming soon
08

Maintenance & Care

Sealing, handling, and field repairs so the finish survives conventions.

Protect Read guide →

Optional step Mirror Polish — Between paint and chrome, wet-sand and compound the clear to a true mirror. Skippable, but the deepest chrome starts from a mirror.

Reference & related

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