I built my first lower by following a video that had some good tips and tricks and I didn't need any special tools. It took about twenty minutes.
I have never built an upper but I have helped a friend change out a handgaurd to a free float setup that included removing and replacing the flash hider, gas block, gas tube, and barrel nut.
A vise would have made it a lot easier but the only "special" tool we used was a rented torque wrench to tighten the new barrel nut made for the free float handgaurd.
I have always been mechanically inclined and have worked with hand tools a lot, so I had confidence that I could do it easily, but I know a lot of people aren't, and some learn better with a hands on approach.
I wish I had bought all the tools for AR assembly years ago. The flying pins and searching for stuff on the floor sucks. Now I would much rather build an AR than change oil in my truck. Built my first unit in 1984 on Olympic Arms parts. Had only one tool a smuggled from the national guard wrench. What an adventure. Now it's like screwing in a light bulb. Wife even built one for herself
So we had a shop in Tulsa to have this get-together done before, but I haven't seen Deano (@lkothe) on the forum in a long time. Searching his name, it looks like a couple of years, so...
Anyone have any options for a place to get 10-15 guys together, set up some tables and 2-4 vices with adequate lighting to do something like this?