A few helpful hints when working with I-joists:
1. Use a uni-bit to drill holes; it works much faster than an auger, flat bit or hole saw.
2. Be very careful when driving staples into the I section. The wood chip composite acts very much like plywood and starting the staple is difficult, but it is even more difficult to keep from over driving it once it starts to puncture the chip board. I recently received a bad shock when the back of my right hand touched the tips of a staple that was over driven by someone else through the other side of an I-joist. It took me 5 minutes to find the problem because it was not readily visible. And when I did find it, I also found that all the staples that the previous "electrician" had put on that cable were over driven. A couple of my men had some trouble with this and one them purchased a staple gun that shoots staples on romex which works very well. And although cost of the staples is somewhat high, the time savings is significant.
3. I noticed in two of the photos that the mc cable is touching a plastic water line. This is a no-no. Water flowing through the line causes vibration in it and this will eventually rub a hole where it contacts the cable.
4. Don't be concerned with KOs that the manufacturer puts in the joist. Most of the time they don't line up because the carpenter didn't lay them off. Secondly, using the uni-bit I mentioned in #1 above is just as fast if not faster than beating out the KOs. You can drill small diameter holes (1.5 inches or smaller) anywhere except in the top or bottom cords of the joist. Don't touch these at all.
Bob
[This message has been edited by ironman (edited 04-14-2005).]
