The raspberry-rhubarb wine I made (my favorite) really wasn't all that difficult to make. I found a great book at the library: "Home Wine Making Without Failures" by H.E. Bravery. Published in the mid-1940's by a gent from Britain, some of the ingredients are unusual to me, but it was a great guideline for this new-to-me hobby. I found a copy on Abebooks.com for about $2 + S/H and still consult it on a regular basis when making wine.
Soapmaking is a challenge, but no more so than cheesemaking, plus it has fewer variables. As we have a steer and a pig butchered every year, I have lots of tallow and lard available to me, which was the reason I got into soapmaking in the first place. Until now, I have used cardboard boxes as my molds, but just this week constructed wooden molds. I line the molds with waxed paper, which was a simpler process with the new molds.
The biggest challenge is acquiring lye. It used to be available in hardware stores (as drain cleaner), but they had to pull it off the shelves because it is used in the production of street drugs. I now have to order it online and have to fill out Hazmat forms (it is VERY dangerous stuff!) and a heads-up goes to law agencies that I'm getting a shipment, which means they probably watch me for other signs that I'm in the drug trade. No worries there, though. Since I only order a ten-pound container about every 5-6 years, I shouldn't be sending up any huge red flags.