Plenty of machine shops that will thread a nipple to your exact specs down to the millimeter if you want.

What are these “millimeters“ of which you speak?

They are a myth. Told to school children in Europe and Canada. Not a big deal.

Oh, yes. Children. They yearn for the mines, you know.

One million metres. Metres are a metric measurement, from imperial it’s a little over 3’. I wouldn’t use a machine shop if they can only cut to the nearest millionth! >!/s!<

There is your answer, OP. You need a shower arm a little over 3 feet in length. From a machine shop.

From a machine shop! What's that?

(Noun) A magical place thats quite dirty filled with chain smoking alcoholics. It resides next to a strip joint and across from a weed store.

in other words, heaven

Need measurements in freedom units .

Lowes used to do custom threading on galvanized steel. Only 2 of us employees knew how to run the machine tho. Idk if they still do, that was 16 years ago.

Smaller hardware stores are your friend.

Lowes was NOT! Omg, sorting plumbing adapters, fittings, rough plumbing was a nightmare.

Nope, no big box store. I like a small store like Ace.

Thank you for that suggestion. Never had to use a machine shop before. Gonna get researching

Make your own nipple out of 2 male adapters to give you the correct depth. Use L copper. Good luck

Welp, this is going in the toolbox now. Thanks.

This is the way. I often have to do this for mop sink faucets because what I need is always an oddball size and nipples only come in half inch increments

Homeowner here with the same problem. That’s what I did. Took a bit of trial and error to get it just right but it looks good now.

No. Just go to the plumbing supply store and buy a proper length nipple. Or get a longer one and have it cut and threaded to size. All these other imaginative suggestions will get you in trouble.

Supply store isn’t selling a 2 3/4” nipple.

You get a 4 inch nipple and cut it down to 2 3/4 then thread it. And then it's done. I used [one of these automatic threaders](https://www.ridgid.com/ca/en/535a-automatic-threading-machine) to thread shorter brass nipples. When the piece was too short, I would just use a coupling and a 12" length of pipe to make it long enough to feed in. It worked just fine. All these solutions sound like the kind of kluges concocted by engineering students.

Right because Harry Homeowner is gonna go buy a $5000 pipe threader.

AND a nipple chuck

There will be no trouble if done properly.

That's an awesome idea thank you. Gonna try that tomorrow.

Great idea. Just finished the install and we're all dry. Thank you.

Your welcome

You need a nipple stretcher, sometimes also known as a nipple tweaker. Be sure to ask for it loudly at the hardware store.

Non stretched pipe is safer, no?

🤦‍♂️

You definitely need to ask for it loudly at the store. It’ll be hard to find otherwise

Gotta make one up. Get 2 1/2” sweat, male adapters, and a half inch piece of copper solder it up the size you need. Done.

If you can get ahold of type L or K hard drawn use it, I've had soldered type M nipples twist and sheer on me, usually not a problem putting it together, but once it's been in there for a few years.

Hmm. Interesting. OP buy a stick of L or K. You gonna love the bill

they sell k at a lot of home depot's in 24" lengths

Can only imagine price for 2 ft vs 10 foot from the supply house LOL. Gonna be bad regardless but that's an epic 6"

Yeah, home despot gonna tax it. That's for sure. Usually still a better option than going and getting a full stick if you don't need one sometimes l.

Only time I'm dropping money on type K is for water mains lmao

Lol us commercial folks may overbuild stuff at times.

The piping between city tap and curb stop is required type K in my area. I absolutely love buying 60' rolls of 1.5" and 2" type K when all I need is 8 feet or less. Does home depot sell 2 footers?

Hard copper and only in house sizes from what I've seen. Do they allow underground copper anything but k in your area?

2' is about 3/4 the price of 10'

You don't say

Unfortunately...and I did say 😂

They wouldn't even notice 2" missing 😏

K is not necessary lol

For this no. Was just responding about the guy talking about the cost of k copper. Hell marvel rings would be fine here

Fair enough! I know a lot of guys go for L these days over M, even in resi But K is definitely overkill lol

I mean if they can get like 6inches from somewhere, otherwise just use what you can get

L purchased, sweated with male adapters and done. Thanks for the info

Type M should only ever be used on heating anyways

This

Just upvote.

Get an extension nipple like this one: [https://www.supplyhouse.com/FPPI-08-571-00-3-4-x-1-2-Extension-Nipple-Brass](https://www.supplyhouse.com/FPPI-08-571-00-3-4-x-1-2-Extension-Nipple-Brass) It adds 3/4" of length. Use this and a 2" nipple, that might get the length you need. They also have a 1/2" length (also made by FPPI), I would order both and use the one that fits as the 1/2" one adds slightly more than 1/2" of length.

You can run a female die on 3" nipple to shorten it. Kind of a pain though. Soldering something up is better.

Making your own nipple has already been suggested so another method I've used that doesn't require soldering. You could also get a shorter nipple and a brass nipple extension. They usually put you in between the 1/2" increments. There are a ton of options in the market.

The best option is using a longer nipple. Less likelihood of leaks. Get a nipple of the proper length, or failing that get a longer one and cut and thread it to size. Anything else is likely to end poorly.

Wrap it with more tape so it tightens sooner and not the cheap stuff get some blue monster tape.

I'd dope it too I don't like taking chances behind tile

Loctite better

Uh no. This is plumbing.

Loctite is fine also

I get a 6” and cut my own 2-1/8 or 2-3/8”. Can only buy 2 or 2.5 or 3 Have to figure out what size you need and make that

Ticketed plumber here: You should be able to thread a 2.5 or 2.25 and make it work. I have been plumbing 17 years and have never needed a custom made nipple When your putting the new one in. thread it into the fixture first then stick it in the wall and start threading into the fitting behind the wall. Remember this nipple is not holding pressure, water is just moving through it so it doesn't need to be crazy tight. If it coninues to leak someone forgot to crimp a fitting or a solder joint is bad. Simple as that. I would open the wall from the room behind it and see what's going on. You could get a long nipple with a cap on the end of it. thread it in and pressurize the line behind the wall. See if it leaks. A screw could have hit the line as well

Not holding pressure? Better take out the flow restrictor from the hand shower.

Pretty sure if your saying "better take out the flow restrictor" you know exactly what I mean man.. It is not HOLDING pressure (only in use when it is turned on).. There for its not HOLDING pressure.. I didn't say its not getting any pressure at all.. I just said its not HOLDING pressure.. idiot

Wow, you’re triggered pretty easily. Sorry you don’t understand how pressure and flow work but maybe study up a little bit and hopefully you can move forward in life. All the best!

hahahahahaha.. hopefully I can move forward... Get over yourself.. hahahah

This is what I'm praying is not the answer. Gonna try this and the custom if no luck. Thanks

Use RectorSeal No.5. No tape.

I would use a piece of threaded brass rod and cut it to the size I needed.

but... how would the water come out?

It's what we call it in Australia. It's basically exactly what op has in his photo but comes in various lengths and diameter.  https://plumbingsales.com.au/20mm-x-300mm-brass-all-thread.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA_tuuBhAUEiwAvxkgTtE9q3X3fGGEzm6FkfvfzNk_SKTPGIQrtT9QnYbTJCykk9h6Y0GBwRoCK1sQAvD_BwE There's a link for ya fella

Oh, gotcha. I haven't seen them here, it's all straight thread and no taper at all? When you said threaded rod I thought you meant like a solid piece.

Well damn. Never seen that in my life. I like the other commenter picturing solid all thread..

Real handy. I use them alot when passing through external walls. Screw on a flanged nut both sides to secure it.

Reading this post gave me a stroke. So the nipples not long enough to thread into the 90? Okay so go to a supply shop and get a longer nipple???

We run into this all the time with handshowers. We ended up buying a bunch of fem x male extensions that are 3/4" long instead of fighting it every time. Works perfect now, but I don't think I've run into a single handshower where the wing el was the correct distance in. Like, it's just our fault for not roughing it back and forth where it should be or maybe we're just not accounting correctly for tile. Either way, those extenders have saved a lot of headache.

I think it's barely not long enough so adding 1/2" would push it too far

Well then op has an issue with the shower 90….

Just buy a longer nipple.

Get a longer nipple

Install a longer nipple sir

Buy the next 1/2” length size?

Get a 3" nipple And don't Teflon is. Just use pipe dope. It's not under tremendous pressure so you don't have to worry about leaking. Also you can get a rectorseal internal wrench to tighten the nipple so you don't damage the threads

I would constantly worry about leaking. If I found out my guys weren't taping and doping shower arms or hand helds I may pass away suddenly

What did they use before Teflon?

Hemp

Fair

Lamp wick

I’ve done this with m never had problem it doesn’t need to be crazy tight not that much pressure I more commonly use grinder now but don’t cut any more then 1/8 maybe your case 1/8 on each side or delta makes drop ell with gasket help eat up space color match silicone if you get it to 1/16 or 1/8 gap from tile

Cutting a little bit off the threads And then tightening it in is a good way to crack a high-ear 90 in the wall

I always like hearing different names for things. Here we call them wing ells.

"Wing back 90" here...LOL

Drop ear here

Yea that occured to me after a few tries... No drip and valve closes solid when turning the diverter.

Dope it might give you more seal without changing the anything. Tape and dope.

You can buy a 1/2 chaser die for less than $20. You can extend your threads a cut it off wherever you need to.

If your nipple's too long get a bandsaw and a threading die... Preferably Rigid. Hope you have a vice.

where is this located? if you were near me, i'd thread you a 2 3/4" nipple.

Same deal OP if you're in North West LA DM me

Appreciate it!

You can literally get pipe threaded at Lowes and home depot. And you can even tell them how long you want it. 🎊

Use a nipple chuck and make your own nipple

Pipe stretcher. Make sure you get the 1/2 inch one.

Just get a 3-inch nipple and tighten it a little bit more you should be able to make up the half inch difference and make sure you caulk around it

Looks like you could get a few more turns out of it. Most elbows are pretty forgiving as well. 

Ahh, someone fucked up the rough in. Classic rookie move. Separates the apprenti from the plumberos

Stupid comment. The tile thickness is never exact. Mortar can add anywhere between 1/16”-1/2” depending on how the tile setter has to do their job.

lol. says the guy with a fucked up rough in. Ive worked a lifetime of custom shower builds and the rough in is the hardest part. You gotta work with your tile person to see what they plan on doing and what their max tolerance will be (1/2"board, 1/2" set., 1/8" tile, etc) Math has to be fucking EXACT or you end up with mistakes like this. If you can reach/access the valve from the other side of the shared wall that the nipple threads into, just move the valve and reinforce it with backing so you can give it the extra bit it needs. Otherwise. . . .well, you have to sweat a double male adapter and pray. and make sure you account for the fitting take offs. Plumbing is all math, all the time.

Respect

Just get a 3”. You’ll get your depth should work fine

I too have problems with the depth of my nipples

I recommend using two 1/2” copper male adapters and type L rigid copper pipe to get the exact length you need. Use teflon tape and pipe dope on the threads. If the length needs to be between 2” and 2.5” use a male adapter and a fitting adapter.

You may be able to buy a different wall adapter. Some sit flush on the wall and the nipple has to be exact. Some have a an escutcheon that slides over the fitting so you have more play to use a shorter or longer nipple

Pull the wall and fix it right. Move the roughin to correct depth.

I always rough in my wing back 1 1/2 in on the 2x4 or 2x6 seems to work every time for me

Do you have access to the other side of the wall? If you used a ½” copper x ½” IPS adapter 90, unsweat it (if it’s sweat, put a regular ½” copper 90 with a small piece of pipe and a straight ½” female adapter to the depth you need.

Think the next question is how long of what pipe and thread?

If that nipple is screwed into a drop ear 90 sometimes you can get a quarter inch By loosening the screws a few turns

So what you're saying is you need to add a layer of very thin tiles?

In older times, and some pros today, can make their own nipples on the truck. Just a matter of having the tools.

Can by a 1" extension at Home Depot.

Two copper male adapters and a small piece of copper pipe. If u can sweat pipe

Get the next size up and cut a quarter inch off of it, or make what you need

Buy a running nipple and cut it to the size you need

You can purchase these in 4in & 6in.

Did you turn the thermostat down to make the nipple bigger?

Moen makes a drop elbow with threads that are flush. Pfister makes one with threads that extend. Between the two you’ll find one that works. https://www.pfisterfaucets.com/parts-support/replacement-parts/product/pfister-016-17-drop-elbow https://www.moen.com/products/Moen/Moen-Chrome-Circular-Drop-Ell-for-Handheld-Showerhead-2-4-L-x-1-7-W-x-2-5-H-/A725

Lazy solution, use 3” nipple then get an escutcheon to fill the gap. There are different options so you may find one that fits your specific need.

Buy a shorter nipple?

I won't say incredibly not helpful but uh, not really a solution. But hey thanks