The staves were made up with the flutes cut into them, I assume w. a 
hand plane and then it was assembled together... like a barrel as John says.

I am not exactly sure but I doubt they were glued. If you walk up to 
them and look at them you can see the vertical lines between the staves. 
Beside that, counting in glue technology of the 19th c I don't know how 
that would work w/ expansion & contraction and changes in moisture 
content of the wood.

Trades knew how to make things with complex geometry, by hand, that we 
simply do not practice so much today.

Sure, columns can be turned, probably on the East coast if so where such 
an industry could be supported by a market and have a source of power, 
and sent to Michigan by rail.

Several different possible conversations going on here... a carpenter 
with a tool box is not going to have a lathe in their back pocket.

As to how they laid it out for entasis... I don't know for sure but a 
string is an interesting tool.

Keep in mind also a hollow column does not weigh as much as a solid one. 
The columns in the photo where lowered from the building by hand by 
human power by 53 Restorations. No crane was needed.

http://pcls-updates.blogspot.com/2011/01/columns-on-greek-reivival-made-by.html

Full disclosure: this building w/ the columns is a project handled by 
Twybil's office. We bid on the exterior restoration but got beat out by 
the company that we used to be an owner of. Long story not worth 
repeating any time soon. Onward!

Ken

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