Need help, like you didn't know!

[76nemo]

Thanks Dennis. I was thinking of weight and the 4.5' and 12" rulings.
Okay, point taken, another question. Do you use those and do you have a respected opinion for me? I thought my buddy's garage was a clean, well rounded upgrade.The work was sharp, and that always catches my eye. That was the first I saw those bushings.

 

[e57]

Marc's prayers have been answered

Here is the art.

(C) In Unfinished Basements and Crawl Spaces. Where cable is run at angles with joists in unfinished basements and crawl spaces, it shall be permissible to secure cables not smaller than two 6 AWG or three 8 AWG conductors directly to the lower edges of the joists. Smaller cables shall be run either through bored holes in joists or on running boards. NM cable installed on the wall of an unfinished basement shall be permitted to be installed in a listed conduit or tubing or shall be protected in accordance with 300.4. Conduit or tubing shall be provided with a suitable insulating bushing or adapter at the point the cable enters the raceway. The NM cable sheath shall extend through the conduit or tubing and into the outlet or device box not less than 6 mm (? in.). The cable shall be secured within 300 mm (12 in.) of the point where the cable enters the conduit or tubing. Metal conduit, tubing, and metal outlet boxes shall be connected to an equipment grounding conductor.

Found this wording a little eye opening - From where the bold starts was added in '05 with a slightly different wording but prior did not exist in the '02. When - I'm pretty sure it would have to have a specific connector on the end of the conduit.
These:

I think outside of an "Unfinished basement or crawl space" it would still be required? Does a garage qualify?

Is this in conflict with 300.15F? (Which appears to be the same in the '08 NEC)

300.15 Where the wiring method is conduit, tubing, Type AC cable, Type MC cable, Type MI cable, nonmetallic-sheathed cable, or other cables, a box or conduit body complying with Article 314 shall be installed at each conductor splice point, outlet point, switch point, junction point, termination point, or pull point, unless otherwise permitted in 300.15(A) through (M).

(F) Fitting. A fitting identified for the use shall be permitted in lieu of a box or conduit body where conductors are not spliced or terminated within the fitting. The fitting shall be accessible after installation.
Commentary from '02 NEC Handbook
Where a cable system makes a transition to a raceway to provide mechanical protection against damage, 300.15(F) permits the use of a fitting instead of a box. For example, where nonmetallic-sheathed cable that runs overhead on floor joists and drops down on a masonry wall to supply a receptacle needs to be protected from physical damage, a short length of raceway is installed to the outlet device box. The cable sheath is removed for the length of the raceway. The cable is then inserted in the raceway and secured by a combination fitting that is fastened to the end of the raceway.

 

[e57]

Nevermind - I spotted the OUT to this:

(B) Metal Boxes and Conduit Bodies. Where metal boxes or conduit bodies are installed with open wiring or concealed knob-and-tube wiring, conductors shall enter through insulating bushings or, in dry locations, through flexible tubing extending from the last insulating support to not less than 6 mm (1/4 in.) inside the box and beyond any cable clamps. Except as provided in 300.15(C), the wiring shall be firmly secured to the box or conduit body. Where raceway or cable is installed with metal boxes or conduit bodies, the raceway or cable shall be secured to such boxes and conduit bodies.