SWSCA Students Scotty and Courtney Zod Make the T-1 Battlefield Robot
By Scotty & Courtney Zod
Hello everyone!
We are very proud to share our cosplay tribute to the Terminator series and Stan Winston School of Character Arts, a practical "DIY" version of our favorite Terminator model, the T-1 tank.
Watch our "Building the T-1 Terminator" video:
Jump To Section
- Getting Started on Building the Terminator T-1 Tank
- The Testing Phase
- Adding Eyes and Gatling Guns
- Hiding a Human Inside a Terminator
- The T-1 Makes Its Appearance at Dallas Comic Con
Getting Started on Building the Terminator T-1 Tank
We used a Primechair mobility chair for our main power source. We drew up a scaled version of what we wanted and began construction around the chair.
(PVC pipe was our primary structural material: easy to work with, lightweight, and cost-effective.)
The Testing Phase
After the frame was made and mounted to the chair we did many test runs to make sure the structure was stable and had enough clearance from the ground and wheels.
(The T-1 Terminator's "armor" was made out of lightweight EVA foam.)
(The tank treads were made out of cardboard and EVA foam.)
Adding Eyes and Gatling Guns
The Terminator T-1's "eyes" were powered by LEDs that we wired up and connected to a toggle switch in the cockpit. We fitted our Terminator T-1 Tank with two large Gatling guns made from plastic tubes and foam to keep down the weight. We thought the ammo belts came out great and looked very cool!
(The plastic tube and foam “gatling guns” before installation.)
(The retractable arms allow for a “gunslinger” pose and make going in and out of doors much easier.)
Hiding a Human Inside a Terminator
We added in countless cosmetic wires and tubing and carefully ran them throughout the frame to give our Terminator an authetically mechanical look. We also inserted mesh screens inside the cockpit so nobody could see the driver while still allowing the T-1 pilot to see around. The mesh also provided great ventilation. Then came some last mobility testing and it was ready for paint.
(Courtney handled most of the paint stages and really gave the T-1 an awesome metallic look!)
The T-1 Makes Its Appearance at Dallas Comic Con
The whole project took a month to make and we are extremely happy about how our T-1 Terminator turned out. Right after finishing it, we loaded it up on a large truck and took it to Dallas Comic Con.
(The Zod's Terminator Tank storms Dallas Comic Con.)
It was an absolute blast to drive around and see everyone's reactions to the T-1.
We would like to really thank our friends and family for all the support and encouragement on this project! We could not have done this without them. Huge thanks to the entire Stan Winston School of Character Arts for all the inspiration and teaching! We hope to someday meet "The Machine" himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Fingers crossed!)
- Scotty and Courtney Zod
(Scotty and Courtney with their very own T-1 at Dallas Comic Con.)
More from Scotty and Courtney Zod at Stan Winston School:
Do You Build Characters?
These kinds of stories make us SO HAPPY. Send us your own work or anything you spot that you think would be a good fit for our blog. The best way to get in touch is to send private messages through our Facebook page or email us at info@stanwinstonschool.com! We'd love to see what you find.
- Balázs Földesi and the rest of the Team at Stan Winston School