Tools by program - Catalog

Helena College 2014 - 2015 Catalog

Tools are required by each student entering Automotive, Aviation Maintenance, Diesel, Computer Aided Manufacturing and Machine Tool, and Welding Technology programs.  Students are also required to purchase school-approved coveralls and red rags for use in the shops and are responsible for the cleaning fee each semester.

Ordering Procedure
Students do not purchase tools through the College. Tool vendors will be available at the College at the beginning of each semester for students who wish to place orders.  These tools are sold by the vendors at an educational discount.  Tool costs vary depending on the vendor; approximates are average costs.  Tools may take several weeks to arrive, and vendors will not deliver without full payment.  A commitment sheet in writing from your vendor on the latest possible delivery date is advised before ordering.


Automotive Technology Tool Set

$2,700 - $3,700 (Approximately)

1 Tool Chest Roll Cabinet (with lock), 5 drawer minimum  34 Stiff Bladed Putty Knife
2 1/2 Drive Breaker bar 35 10” Slip Joint Pliers [waterpump]
3 1/4 Drive Metric Sockets, Shallow 4mm to 15 mm; 13 pc. 36 Battery Service Pliers 
4 1/2 Drive Metric Sockets, Shallow 12 mm to 24 mm 37 Side Post Battery Wrench and Wire Brush
5 3/8 Metric Sockets, Deep and Shallow  8 mm to 19 mm 38 Top Post Battery Brush
6 1/2 Drive Standard Sockets, Shallow 1/2 to 1-1/8 39 Reversible Snap Ring Pliers
7 1/4 Drive Standard Sockets, Deep and Shallow; 3/16 to 9/16 20 pc. 40 10” Vise Grip Type Pliers
8 3/8 Standard Sockets, Deep and Shallow 1/4 to 7/8 22 pc.  41 Wire Stripper Cutters 10-20 ga. wire
9 5/8 and 13/16 Spark Plug Sockets 42 10 pc. Punch and Chisel set
10 Torx Sockets T8 to T55 11 pc. set 43 16 oz. Ball Peen Hammer
11 1/2 Drive Ratchet 44 32 oz. Ball Peen or Engineer Type Hammer
12 1/4 Drive Ratchet 45 16 oz. Dead Blow Soft Face Hammer
13 3/8 Flex Head Ratchet 46 Hacksaw
14 3/8 Ratchet 47 Wire Brush
15 1/2 Drive Extensions 5”, 11” 48 Flashlight
16 1/4 Drive Extensions 2”, 4”, 6” 49 12’ Tape Measure
17 3/8 Drive Extensions 1”, 3”, 6”, 11” 50 Circuit Tester
18 1/4 Drive Screwdriver Style Handle 51 Radiator Hose Removal Tool
19 Adapters 3/8” to 1/4”; 3/8” to 1/2”; 1/2” to 3/8” 52 4 pc. Seal Pick Set
20 Universals 1/4”, 3/8” 53 16” Rolling Head [Heel] Bar
21 Standard Wrenches 3/8” to 1” 54 Inspection Mirror
22 Metric Wrenches 8 mm to 19 mm 55 Magnetic Retrieval Tool
23 Standard Flare Nut Wrenches 1/4” to 13/16” 56 Carbon Gasket Scraper
24 Metric Flare Nut Wrenches 8 mm to 21 mm 57 Ignition Gauge Set [Short Blade .010 through .035]
25 Standard Allen Wrenches 58 Feeler Gauge Set .0015 through .025
26 Metric Allen Wrenches 59 Wire Gap Gauge .044 through .080
27 12” Adjustable Wrench 60 Spark Plug Gap Gauge [Taper]
28 8 pc. Screwdriver Set 61 Safety Goggles
29 Ratchet Type Screwdriver  62 Blow Gun
30 6” Needle Nose pliers  63 Fluorescent Tube Trouble Light with Accessory Plug, 25 ft. cord, minimum
31 8” Needle Nose pliers 64 6” Precision Steel Rule with Metric Scales
32 7” Side Cutters
33 7” Conventional Pliers [common] 

Aviation Maintenance Technology Tool Set

$800 (Approximately)
The following are the minimum number of tools required for aviation maintenance students to complete the first and second semester shop and course work. These tools are not provided by the school.  Third and Fourth Semester tool list will be provided in the first year, approximately an additional $600 minimum.

1 Calipers, Dial or Digital 14 Mirror, Inspection
2 Center Punch, Automatic 15 Multimeter, Digitl, Universal Adapter
3 Combination Wrench Set 5/16” to 1” including 11/32” 16 Pliers set (needle nose, straight jaw, channel lock, duckbill)
4 Drafting Tool Set 17 Respirator, OSHA Approved, Organic Vapor Cartridges
5 File Set, Needle 18 Scale (Ruler) 1/32”, 1/10”, and 1/100” Increments
6 Flashlight 19 Screw Driver Set, Phillips and Common
7 Glasses, Safety 20 Socket Set, 1/4”, including ratchet and extensions
8 Gloves, Mechanics   21 Socket Set, 3/8”, including ratchet and extensions
9 Hearing Protectors, Muff Type 22 Speed Handle, 1/4”
10 Hex (Allen)Wrench Set, Fractional 23 Tool Box or Bag, Lockable
11 Jewelers Loupe, approx. 6X 24 Wire Crimpers, Aviation Grade
12 Mask, Respirator SAS 9813-70/71 25 Wire Cutters 
13 Drawing Tools  26 Wire Strippers
a. Drafting Compass  b. French Curve Set   
c. 12” ruler  d. ¼” Graph paper 
e. Mechanical Pencils  f. Eraser    
g. Sharpie Markers h. Protractor

Carpentry and Construction Technology Tool Set

Interior Design students not required to purchase tool set. $700 (Approximately)

1 Steel Tape, 1” x 25’ (minimum size) 18 Framing Hammer, 22 oz
2 Steel Tape,  100’ 19 Drill Set 1/16” to 1/2” (Optional)
3 Chalk Line Reel, 100’ 20 Approved Safety Glasses
4 Rafter Square (Optional) 21 Approved Hard Hat and Liner
5 Speed Square 22 Wonder Bar (Optional)
6 Sliding T Bevel 23 Tin Snips (Optional)
7 Torpedo Level 24 Side-cutting Pliers
8 4’ Level (Optional) 25 Approved Respirator
9 4-in-hand file Power Tools
10 Screwdriver (both Phillips and Straight) 26  7 1/4” Arbor Power Skill Saw
11 Nail Claw, 10” 27 3/8” Variable Speed Drill (Optional)
12 Ripping Bar 28 Carbide Blade (7 1/2” Saw Blade)
13 Utility Knife 29 50’ Extension Cord (Optional)
14 Nail Sets, 1/32”, 1/16”, 3/32”  30 Cordless Drill/Driver Kit (Optional)
15 Wood Chisel Sets, 1/4”, 1/2”, 3/4” (Optional) 31 Contractor’s Calculator
16 Adjustable Wrench, 8” 
17 Nail Apron

Diesel Technology Tool Set

$3,000 - $4,000 (Approximately)

1 10” Slip Joint Pliers [water pump] 36 24” Screwdriver Style Prybar
2 12 pt Drive Metric Sockets, Shallow 4mm to 15 mm; 13 pc. 37 Adapters 3/8” to 1/4”; 3/8” to 1/2”; 1/2” to 3/8” 1/2” to 3/4”
3 Battery Service Pliers 38 4 pc. Seal Pick Set
4 12 pt Metric Sockets, Deep and Shallow 8 mm to 19 mm 39 Universals 1/4”, 3/8”
5 Side Post Battery Wrench and Wire Brush 40 16” Rolling Head [Heel] Bar
6 12 pt Drive Standard Sockets, Shallow 1/2 to 1-1/8 41 Standard Wrenches 3/8” to 1”
7 Top Post Battery Brush 42 Inspection Mirror
8 12 pt Drive Standard Sockets, Deep and Shallow; 3/16 to 9/16 20 pc. 43 Metric Wrenches 10 mm to 19 mm
9 Reversible Snap Ring Pliers 44 Magnetic Retrieval Tool
10 12 pt Standard Sockets, Deep and Shallow 1/4 to 7/8 22 pc 45 Standard Flare Nut Wrenches 1/4” to 13/16”
11 10” Vise Grip Type Pliers 46 Carbon Gasket Scraper
12 5/8 and 13/16 Spark Plug Sockets 47 Standard Allen Wrenches
13 Wire Stripper Cutters 10-20 ga. wire 48 Ignition Gauge Set [Short Blade .010 through .035]
14 Torx Sockets T8 to T55 11 pc. set 49 Standard & Metric Allen Sockets
15 10 pc. Punch and Chisel set 50 Feeler Gauge Set .0015 through .025 angle
16 1/2 Drive Ratchet 51 12” Adjustable Wrench
17 16 oz. Ball Peen Hammer 52 Wire Gap Gauge .044 through .080
18 1/4 Drive Ratchet 53 8 pc. Screwdriver Set
19 16 oz. Dead Blow Soft Face Hammer 54 Ratchet Type Screwdriver
20 3/8 Flex Head Ratchet 55 Safety Glasses
21 Hacksaw 56 6” Needle Nose pliers
22 3/8 Ratchet 57 Blow Gun
23 Wire Brush 58 8” Needle Nose pliers
24 1/2 Drive Extensions 5”, 11” 59 7” Side Cutters
25 Flashlight 60 7” Conventional Pliers [common]
26 1/4 Drive Extensions 2”, 4”, 6” 61 1/2 Deep Impact Sockets 12 pt
27 12’ Tape Measure 62 1/2 Torque Wrench
28 3/8 Drive Extensions 1”, 3”, 6”, 11” 63 Multimeter
29 1/4 Drive Screwdriver Style Handle 64 Brake Shoe Tool
30 Radiator Hose Removal Tool 65 Brake Slack Adjuster
31 1/2 Drive Standard Impact Shallow; 3/8 to 1” 12pt 66 1/4” torque wrench
32 20” Bearing Race Punch 67 Adjustable oil filter wrench
33 1/2 Drive Air Impact 68 2 Uniform Shirts
34 Florescent Drop Light; 25 ft. minimum
35 3/8 Drive Torque Wrench; 5-75 ft. lbs.

Computer Aided Manufacturing and Machine Tool Technology Tool Set

$1,200 (Approximately)

1 Allen Wrenches 18 Drills, Fractional, Letters, Numbers
2 Dead Blow Hammer – 1 pound 19 H.S.S. Drill Set – 1/16”, 1/2”, by 1/6”
3 Center Punch Set 20 1” Indicator Dial
4 Transfer Punches 21 2” Indicator Dial
5 4 pc. Combination Square 22 Magnetic Base
6 Double End Edge/Center Finder 23 Mighty Mag Base (Magnetic)
7 Carbide Scribe 24 De-burring Tool
8 6” Rigid Scale, 32nds and 64ths one side/100ths on flip side  25 Pocket Flashlight
9 6” Flex Scale, 32nds and 64ths one side/100ths on flip side  26 Screwdriver Set
10 Thread Wire Set 27 Standard Set Combo Wrenches 3/8” – 1”
11 Pitch Gauges, Inch and Metric 28 16’ Measuring Tape
12 Acme Thread Gauge 29 3-piece Snap Gauges
13 File Set with Handles 30 1/4” Die Grinder
14 File Brush 31 One set of Parallels
15 Indicol Universal Indicator Holder and Test Dial Indicator 32 Carbide Insert Holders - RH Turning and Threading
16 Tool bag from Lowes 33 Carbide Inserts - 1 Threading; 1 Turning; 1 Grooving
17 Clamp Set for Mills
OPTIONAL Second Year (approximately an additional $500)
1 12” Dial Calipers 1 Test Dial Indicator .0005 res
2 0” - 6” Micrometers 2 Set 1-2-3 Blocks
3 0” - 6” Depth Micrometers 3 Set V-Blocks
4 2” - 12” Inside Micrometers 4 6” Calipers
5 Sine Bar
6 Gauge Block Set


Welding Technology Tool Set

$350 (Approximately)
1 Welding Hood – Standard with 9-11 shade or Auto* 14 10” crescent wrench*
2 Cutting Goggles - #5 Shade* 15 25’ tape measure
3 Chipping Hammer* 16 Soap stone holder with soap stone
4 Friction Light (striker)* 17 Scribe with magnet on end
5 Tip Cleaner* 18 Center Punch
6 Wire Brush (stainless steel)* 19 Combination/Tri-square 12”
7 8” slip joint pliers* 20 Construction Calculator
8 MIG Pliers* 21 4 1/2 inch grinder*
9 Cleaning Picks* 22 Ball Peen Hammer
10 Phillips and Flathead Screwdrivers 23 Open End Wrench Set up to 3/4”
11 Standard Allen Wrench Set 24 10” Dividers
12 Roll of Electrical Tape 25 Small drafting kit complete with 60° and 45° triangles (the larger the better)
13 Small flashlight*
Please note: Most tools are available through the Helena College Parts Department located at the Airport Campus.
*indicates tools needed immediately
SAFETY EQUIPMENT (Required every day at the start of class):
1 Carhartt pant/bibs/or coveralls
2 Welding shirt/jacket
3 Leather boots (steel toe)
4 Welding cap
5 Leather gloves
6 Safety glasses
Helena College Chat