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I’ve been through several building phases. Started by assembling a few FN-FALs when kits were inexpensive and contained all the parts, including the barrel. Still had to do the compliance part thing. I sandblasted them to bare metal and parkerized them with chemicals from Brownells, then Ceracoated a couple of them, even shortened the barrel and gas system to make a carbine. They were fun, but took some specialized tools (which I built) to torque the barrel to spec and adjust the headspace correctly.
Next phase was assembling a bunch of AKM kits, when they were $89 each! Built jigs to bend the flats and some rivet setting tools for front and rear trunnions, and spot welding in rails, etc. They were fun, and a lot more to building than assembling an AR from a pile of pre-built parts.
My latest thing was AR building. 80% lowers are pretty easy, so after one of those I went to building 0% lowers from raw forgings. I have a vertical mill and a lathe, so all doable, but it requires precision work and takes some time. I have a pile of a few forgings with unrecoverable errors…. The fun part of the AR building was putting together my own anodizing tank and learning to etch in the markings and then anodize.
I bought a couple of HK91 kits, but never could work up the gumption to build the tooling necessary to bend one of those receivers. Of the less exotic builds (not counting de-milled Browning BMGs, etc. ) I suspect the HK or CETME builds are likely the most difficult. Requires precision bending and some pretty intricate TIG welding.
Next endeavor will be some 3D printing. DEFCAD has a lot of fun stuff, including plans to electromachine your own 5R, gain twist rifling in high strength seamless tubing for barrels.
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