"charlie b" wrote in message
...

So what is it about pith that makes turning anything with
pith in it a No No!?


If you don't start right, with no cracks near the pith, it'll open up a bit
before closing under compression as the section dries on endgrain
orientation. On face grain orientation, the cracks can run right into the
work, being unrestrained above the pith.

I think what people usually mean when they say don't leave the pith is that
if you don't allow room on endgrain for the outside to move as it contracts,
trying to make smaller circles, it will split from the edge to the center.
Nothing to do with the pith on that, of course, they stop there, rather than
originate.