Lincoln Log wings

I wanted to try building using Lincoln log ideas, with wing mounted undercarriage. In SN there are several very good articles for doing this, and some include pictures of the blocks used to locate the undercarriage wires, but I can't find any description of these blocks. Are they hardwood? balsa?. One photo shows balsa D tube covering on the upper surface of the wing and no wire in the blocks. What is the sequence here? Do you install the wire after the sheeting is on, if so I don't see how. Help!
Jim Brooks

Well,

What Tom has been doing with his wing mounted gear is to put the blocks in with a vertical that's high enough to anchor the wire very well. He also reinforces the ribs where the block notices are with some 1/32 ply forward of the center of the ribs. The blocks are either just good old maple R/C gear blocks, or they can be made from somewhat lighter wood. They are then sheeted over with the lower wing LE sheeting. Then using a pin and some markings find the gear slot and slice it out down to the gear block with a #11 kinfe blade. the hold down screws go in through the 1/16 balsa to the gear block. Look up the Lincoln Log articles and it kinda gives the idea about how to do it.

I don't know what Tom uses, but the first Lincoln Log type wing I built I used some hemlock I got from the lumber yard. It was straight, tight grained and easy to work with. I used a cabinet makers table saw and just set the fence and sliced the blocks. Built the wing on a sheet of glass. I used some angle iron as guides and Zapped the blocks to the glass.

I liked the basic method so much I went crazy and constructed an adjustable Lincoln Log styled jig with all the blocks adjustable in 3 different directions. I don't recommend making your own. Just buy the blocks from Posilock or others and mount them to a flat board. I spent close to 2 months building my jig out of hardwood. Sucker ended up with about a 100 parts. If I had it to do over again, I would have just bought the metal adjustable blocks.

Tom's a good guy, but a very busy guy.

The question is a good one! Ask the man direct. Do not expect a personal reply and ask for the clarification to be published in Stunt News. The answer will be forthcoming and we all might benefit.

You dont need the blocks. Just clamp your L.E. and T. E. to the L-irons, level well and go jiggin'. Also instead of using a 1 1/16 inch L. E. you can shorten it down to 9/16 inch if you do the new millenium wing instead. If you insist on jig blocks you can make your own by glueing 1/4 x 1/2 inch spruce pieces or hard balsa to any hardwood(or plywwood), creating thus your own custom slots. The best thing that Tom has done is to open our minds to new ways! I take his ideas as a guide to discovery. regards.

Sig and possibly Brodak have maple landing gear blocks with the wire groove already cut.