Anyone between Panama City and Jacksonville interested in helping an AK newbie build his first AK? I have a couple of the NDS $43 -74 receivers sitting here (need the magwells widened a bit, I have instructions) and I think I finally sold my Kel-Tec, and I'll be ordering an APEX Bulgarian kit as soon as I get the money from it.

So, I'll have all my parts, but I live in a tiny little apartment in Tallahassee and none of the needed tools or experience. I'm willing to pay in cash or booze for a hand with this. Is there anything else I'd need to buy beyond that kit to make this gun 922(r) compliant?

Thanks for reading,
GD

Yes you need enough US parts to be compliant (piston, trigger group, floor plates, brake, furniture, etc, your pick).  You will need either a press to remove the barrel or a gear puller (which is a lot cheaper), and you can re-install the barrel with 1/4" threaded rod and some nuts.  Pick up a spot welder for welding the rails if they are not already welded.  You can squash rivets with a modified set of bolt cutters.  When I did my builts, parts kits were $100, and it cost me another $100 in tools plus a little more for US parts... came in somewhere around $175 per rifle when I was done.  Times have changed unfortunately.

Check out the "build it yourself" forum. I have done a few AK builds myself (bent from flats) and it's not difficult if you can use a dremel.  

This is actually a virgin parts kit with a pre-drilled US made barrel, just going to have to buy a FCG and 1 other part to be in compliance (I'm going with a Tapco pistol grip).

Was hoping to do it with some folks from the board, and just get together and do it and have a few beers or something afterwards, but it looks like that's not gonna happen. Ah well.