I appreciate the detailed explanation. The content of your earlier posts makes a bit more sense now.

At this stage, it may be prudent for you to post some photos for us (on Flickr or a similar free hosting site). That way we can more clearly see what you are seeing and offer detailed advice. I personally would rather guide you based on what I see in a clear photo rather than based on what I read in text form. This is especially true since you are just starting out in the world of soldering.