Put the bottom of the column in the bath, works wonders on smaller columns. Better than your standard vibrator.
Vibrators will work wonders, bag up your “Dilding apparatus” and drop it in your column and move it around the bottom and slowly work it up to the top of the column. Your results will be visible by the amount of packing that settles down to the bottom.
As said above, always star with a smaller sample and dial in your process before attempting a large volume run. Bad results from a small run are easier to trouble shoot than a a run with to large of a sample.
heres another thread with some good insight and my report packing a 100L stainless column with a concrete vibrator.