Jeff,
This Altair kit you have...is it an original kit? If so, you will be (un)happy to know that not only are there a lot of wires, but the wires that came with the kit are very brittle. After you get them soldered in, if you wiggle them they will break off, and you have to clean out the holes and re-solder them. I suggest you get some different white wire to do your wiring. I don't remember many ribbon cables back in '75 but they existed, just not on the Altair.
Whether this is a new kit or an old one, would you mind sharing where you got it? I have an original original one and sometimes would like to have original or reproduced parts for it
Now about those 16 K memory boards that have (count 'em!) about 3200 solder connections. You'll be good with soldering when you're done :-)
Best,
John.