Yes, it was a lot of work. I probably have about 20-25 hours into it, all told. The vast majority of which was in handling the small details. However, this is a hobby for me, and I am not particularly put off with a little bit of work. It was very easy for me to disappear into the garage for a few hours and fall into a rhythm where everything else seemed to fade away. If it was my job, I'd hate it and I'd be broke. If I had to sell it, I'd never be able to charge a decent wage for my materials. But as a gift to a friend and an opportunity to unwind and practice some skills that were otherwise rusty, I got a lot more out of it than I put into it.
I'll update this tomorrow with some more pictures of the process and the completed project.