Who knows?

I'm not convinced you are wrong. In addition to having a place that recuts threads down the road, I remember and found this thread.

I skipped the meeting, but the Memos showed that "SteveB" wrote on Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:06:20 -0700 in rec.crafts.metalworking :

The Pipe was fabricated in standard lengths. Then it left the factory. Since then, I suspect it got tweaked, fixed, customized, and da kind, but never uniformly.

-- pyotr filipivich We will drink no whiskey before its nine. It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!

Steve B,

Hey! Your secret is safe with me. If your mother still thinks you're a piano player in a whorehouse, I won't tell her you worked in the oil patch.

Bob Swinney

Even have an Official Oilfield Trash Belt Buckle. BTW, I did contact a pipe manufacturer, and asked the question about random lengths. Will post if I hear from them.

Steve