Good luck! Seems like it'll be pretty cool when you're finished with it. One of the techs here at work is a robotics hobbyist and they all do component-level repair, so I do understand the soldering headaches your having. Steady hand, patience, and practice is the best suggestion I have, aside from the fact that you don't get to the point of a senior project without becoming somewhat competent along the way so I have confidence in you. :)