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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