In a building structure, water, electricity and venting need to be available at different locations in the building. Wire conveying conduit, water pipes and vent ducts are typically provided in the walls and flooring of the building structures. Such spaces also are occupied by support members such as beams or joists and it is frequently necessary to direct such conduit, pipes and the like either through the joists or hung from below the joists as the pipes are extended, e.g., from one side of the building to the other.
In order to properly place the conduit and the like, the builder commonly provides a series of aligned through holes within the joists or aligned hangers below the joists. Misalignment of the through holes or hangers results in considerable re-measuring and rework. The builder typically locates a first hole or hanger in a joist, for example, by measuring from a common reference, such as the floor and adjoining wall. The builder continues this measuring process with subsequent joists along the desired path. Measurement of each hole or hanger is a time and labor intensive operation. Misalignment of even a single hole or hanger will prevent the proper placement of the conduit. In joists, a misaligned through hole may require that the through hole be reworked, possibly requiring the repair or replacement of the joist.
There is a need for apparatus and methods to replace the labor intensive and costly production of aligned holes and hangers in spaced-apart structures that is less complex and labor intensive, while reducing the potential for misalignment.