Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Mosfilm Film Concern – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
March 18, 2026
News editorial office
29
Four new machines have arrived at the Mosfilm-Decorstroy carpentry shop. A brushing machine, a double-sided thickness planer, a CNC turning center, and a drilling and mortising machine have already been commissioned. Mosfilm.ru reports on how this equipment will speed up set construction and rid the soundstages of construction waste.
The Mosfilm-Dekorstroy woodworking shop has undergone a major technical upgrade. Instead of raising dust on sound stages with grinders, specialists can now process wood directly during the prep stage. Four new machines are designed not only to expand the range of capabilities, but also to literally ease the crew's manual labor and keep pace with the production designers' demands.
"Brushing" for cinema.
One of the most popular acquisitions was the SM1300 brushing machine for processing veneer and wood. As workshop foreman Viktor Varzhikovsky explains, previously, artists' requests to "age" surfaces required labor-intensive manual processing.
"Wood brushing (a technique for artificially aging wood – editor's note) is very popular in film. Previously, we did it by hand: for example, we'd lay the floors on the soundstage and then work with tools. It's quite energy-intensive! Plus, it creates dust on the soundstage, and it's just time-consuming!" said Viktor Varzhikovsky.
The new machine solves the problem completely. Inside the unit are four shafts: a pair of brushes and a pair of sanding wheels. By changing the speed and attachments, you can simulate any wear pattern: from light abrasion to the deep texture of old wood. "This is a powerful machine. You just insert the workpiece, pull it out, and you're ready to assemble it. All the dust stays in the workshop, not in the studio," the foreman explained.
Speed and accuracy.
The second important newcomer is the EcoWood263 double-sided thicknessing machine. It seemed like the shop had always had a planing tool, but the old equipment required double the work: the board had to be fed through a single-sided machine, flipped, and reset. Now the process is exactly twice as fast.
"Here, the board is processed from both sides at once. When building a large set—say, 50 doors and 100 windows—this saves a huge amount of time. You don't have to stand in line and wait for a colleague to free up a machine," explains the carpentry shop foreman.
New machines in the carpentry shop of Mosfilm-Dekorstroy.
The Beaver 25B4 AUTO CNC woodworking lathe looks like a miniature piece of heavy engineering. While the maximum workpiece length in the workshop previously reached 1.2 meters and a diameter of 120 millimeters, the new Chinese Beaver can turn parts up to 400 millimeters in diameter and 2.5 meters in length. This opens the way for the creation of massive balusters, columns, and moldings. The most complex unit in the line, according to the foreman, requires programming skills: the machine can handle simple drawings automatically, but 3D carving with intricate patterns requires the assistance of a specialist.
A proven classic.
The OSTERMANN "LBM-200" boring and grooving machine rounds out the new equipment line. Interestingly, the focus during the purchase was not on cost, but on maintainability and speed of changeover.
"This equipment is largely identical to our proven Soviet and Russian equipment. The machine is easy to maintain and configure. It's ideal for filmmaking, especially when it's a one-off or custom job, and the faster you can reconfigure the machine for a new task, the better," concluded Viktor Varzhikovsky.
The arrival of new equipment is part of a systematic effort to strengthen Mosfilm-Dekorstroy's production and technical capabilities. According to the workshop, the introduction of brushing and CNC machines significantly expands the range of set design options. Now, the task of recreating any historical era or style through the texture of wood can be accomplished more quickly and with the consistently high quality required by film production. Furthermore, the new equipment will also speed up set construction on sound stages.
For cooperation inquiries: Andrey Gorsky, Head of the Mosfilm-Dekorstroy Section, tel.: 7 (499) 143-95-36, email: gorsky@mosfilm.ru
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.