Christopher Writes:
> Ah. So the entasis (if any) was achieved by shaving down the sides of the
> staves, thus pulling the column sections inward?
Yes, exactly.
> But but but but ...
> how did they measure such a minor deflection over, say, 40 feet? I mean,
> what kind of instrument, ruler, laser, video game, twitter whatever can do
> that? Or is it just eyeball?
The nerves and pattern of the fingerprint on the end of the human finger
can discern a .0005" ridge on an otherwise smooth surface. The human
eye, with a few simple implements like a straight edge, dividers, bevel
and sunlight can discern whether or not an angle on a piece of wood is
within .05 degrees (five hundredths of a degree), and can set a
sight-line out 50 feet to within +-.1" (plus or minus one tenth of an
inch (if the earth did not rotate so fast we could get it more accurate
than that). If hand work must be more accurate than that, then methods
like "compounding of the errors" and "light reflection/refraction" can
be use to gain another ten-fold accuracy with simple building-block and
"smoke & mirrors" techniques.
OK, here's the scoop. Half of this level of accurate work can be done by
geometrics and ordinary hand tools (straight edge, square, bevel,
dividers, string & plumb bob, pencil (don't even really need paper since
you can draw your figures on a wood board and when you run out of space
just plane off your scribblings for a fresh space); and of course a
sharp mind to do the figures. The other half is done with a kit of sharp
woodworking hand tools (rip saw, crosscut saw, hand planes, gouge,
chisel, hollowing plane, etc.)
The "two halves" accurate work are "adhered" with a unique combination
of Mind/Hand/Heart/Eye/Muscle that is only found in the human body.
Here's an illustration of how this combination works:
http://www.historichomeworks.com/hhw/images/HeadHandHeart.JPG
As you can see, these principles of accurate hand work have been known
and documented for centuries. Much of this eye/hand coordinated work is
done...well, between the eye and the hand. See the Figure 63 (link
above), and you will note that there are two pathways between the eyes
and the hands, one path is through the body (Mind/Hand/Heart/Eye/Muscle)
and the other is through the air via light as it bounces off of the
object. (In the illustration the object is, appropriately enough for
Ilene, an Ionic column.) Not shown in the illustration is the secret
third hidden pathway that connects the heart and the universe. Once
again light is involved, the light falling on the object. If you trace
the path of the light backwards you arrive at the sun, and its obvious
connections with the entire universe.
If you need further details I'll be teaching a course on Historic
Exterior Column Restoration June 13-16 at the Campbell Center of
Preservation Studies this coming June. See the course listing here:
http://www.campbellcenter.org/pages/pagesschedule2010.html
Architectural Columns:
Learn the style & history of the classical Five Orders of Architecture
by making measured drawings of Bennett Hall stone doorway. Learn
hands-on repairs of wooden column bases at McKie Hall. Your instructor,
John Leeke, has been installing, repairing and maintaining architectural
columns for four decades as part of his life-long dedication to
preserving historic buildings. Includes a copy of John Leeke's Practical
Restoration Report on "Wooden Columns," and a reproduction of "The
Regular Architect," first published in 1669, showing the Five Orders of
Architecture. 5 days onsite hands-on training.
Ilene, will your book be out by then?
> And then, suffice it to say (what does that mean, anyway?), any fluting
> would be done after the assembly of the column. So how do they avoid the
> flutes (and intervening ridges, called what?) crossing and interfering with
> (towards the top) the inward leaning seams of the column? Surely the flutes
> are of the same sectional measurement top to bottom?
As specified by Vignola in the "Five Orders" (and demonstrated a
millennia earlier by the Greek and Roman artisans), the flutes taper up
to get narrower as the dimeter decreases. (they also may get shallower)
Fluting might be done after assembly of the shaft for wood shafts up to
12 or 18 inches in diameter, more than that and the reach over to the
flute is inconvenient for hand-planing, so the flutes are carved and
planed with the staves on the bench where the work can be done more
efficiently and quickly.
John (column hugger from wayback) Leeke
www.HistoricHomeWorks.com
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