RESEARCH - NECK PISTONS & HOSES

Unlike my original build, I decided that I'd try and add some finessing to my re-attempt at getting the Endo Skull right, and plan on adding the neck pistons and braided hoses. I've been searching around for the perfect items to use for these parts, and am still a bit perplexed at what the final pieces should look like. I'll hopefully go into further detail about what I end up using in a later post.

Braided Neck Hose

There are quite a variety of representations of the neck hose out there - most seem to revolve around a braided steel hose capped with a curved elbow joint at the top, disappearing into the skull at a right-angle. Here are a few examples:

All of the above versions feature a braided steel hose with an angled elbow at the top terminating (!!) either into the side of the skull, or forward-facing into the curved crevice where the ear should be.

After making some screen caps from the Blu Ray of The Terminator, it appears that the original neck hose didn't have a curved end; instead it seems to connect with the underside of the T800's skull. This is unlike any of the reproductions shown above. Close inspection of the below HD images seem to confirm this.

For me this is good news - it means that obtaining a viable part should be easier when I get to that section of the re-build.

Neck Piston

The rear neck piston seems to feature a ball joint, but it could also possibly be a universal joint. Can anyone shed any further light on this? I am hoping these can be easily made with varying diameters of plastic tubing.

A nice clear shot - see how the braided hoses connect to the underside of the skull (clearest on the right-side)

Above are a selection of nice clear images showing the positioning of the neck hoses and pistons

Above is more evidence of the hose connecting to the underside

Someone hadn't considered how the hoses and pistons would work in this scene: solution = remove them