RE: Your Comments on how to do this balsa glue job
I have sheeted gear similar to that a few times and can tell you that the only way that didn't come loose from the gear when it flexed was by using "Goop"
to bond the the wood to the gear . Any time I have tried to bond wood or plastic to gear that had any flex too it with anyhting other than "GOOP " I would end up with either the application cracking or it would free itself from the aluminum and float around and rattle. I believe you could use something other than GOOP but it needs to be flexible ,not brittle when cured .