Mindwarp hit the nail right on the head. A metal clamp or a vise-grip pliers work great, clamp them as close to the fuselage as you can. This will act as a heat sink and keep the heat away from the wood. If you are worried about solder getting on the wood, get a small sponge, wet it, cut a slit in it and slip it over the wire to act as a shield for anything running down the wire.

Hope this helps.