Sounds pretty easy, doesn't it?
You people must make money hand over fist if you can afford that... What business are you I'd better stop selling stuff and get into that business.
Hey there drew
"You people?" Which, the 'smiths or advisors? Sad but true, for what is expected of a smith, what they lay out for specialized tools etc and, what they actually charge, you may have to keep selling just to be one.
I totally get where your comming from...we used to share the same perspective! I've learned the hard (expensive) way. I still turn wrenches on my own (and every flippin' neighbour's) car. I have my own "motivators". I will never, ever crack a transmission again!
You can pull and, swap your own barrels. Lots of non-smiths do. You can also pull your own slivers out without going to a doctor... The way I've come to see it, the doctor will treat my un-pulled festering sliver equally as well as my botched one. A smith is in the same boat. We live in a nation where there aren't enough of them [docotrs and smiths]. Some stuff you can do at home for any reason (perceived cost, learning, I'm a hands on guy...whatever) some, you do need an actual history of learning for. Turns out, my local smith won't let people watch...worried about trade secrets! Also turns out, my family docotor won't show me how to do appendectomies from the home...
If you do proceed, please take photos and, document how you did it, where you ran into issues (hopefully few) and, any cool tricks you pick up on the way! If you go to a smith, be sure to thank them....they are few and, far between. Have an occupation where even if they try to "specailize" are questioned on: Metalurgy, woodworking, machining and, for our safety, explosives and, tolerances! Spent all this time learnin' n' workin'! While the temptation to work as an employee, with benefeits and, a good wage, working a lathe or mill in a machine shop must be calling!
I do some work on my own shootin' irons. I've even bought beaters to learn on. Some of these things just aren't viable "at-home" projects unless you can afford to make the mistakes that come with learning.
Or, to return to orig question:
You can...at the least you'll need: Action wrench, barrel vise, go-gauges to start. Real books have been proof read, unllike the 'net....grab one from the library.