New to building with lots of questions.

[Heywood]

Up to you as to what degree of precision you are looking for in this. Has been discussed at length in another thread but the consensus is that you need to be careful not to flex the receiver when doing up the barrel nut.

While 2 bits of wood is quicker and cheaper than a $40 Brownells torque rod (and cheaper again than Geissele's $100 version of the same) the opposing torque will include the front of the aluminium receiver. With the Midwest handguard design this flexing force can be exaggerated if the teeth on their barrel nut do not conveniently line up with the gas tube hole at the lower end of the torque range. The one I did took 60lbs to line up.

Similarly, how you plan to secure the muzzle device to the barrel is worth thinking about. Again, two blocks of wood or those clamping receiver blocks might seem convenient and cost effective if you don't have vise clamps or a barrel vise but the same thing will happen. Sideways torque on the receiver as you do up the device.

I would also suggest that if using two blocks of wood that at least the barrel points vertically, not horizontally while you work on it. The jaws of your normal vise like in my picture encourage horizontal work and with that your heavy barrel will be under the influence of gravity as you do up the barrel nut. For the sake of turning the work 90 degrees you can ensure even pressure on the critical area of the receiver tunnel face while doing it up.

Again, up to you as to how you want to do this. It boils down to what degree of precision and effort you are prepared to go to, and pay for. It may make a difference or it may just be peace of mind.

That tool would be helpful as long as you do not need to press fit a barrel into a non standard receiver they do not make a block for. I use cedar as it is soft and conforms exactly to the shape of the receiver with minimal pressure. I would probably spend the $40 on the tool just for peace of mind if I had a sloppy barrel to receiver fit. It wouldn't be a bad tool to have around.