Here are some tips I have picked up,
I use high quiality exterior house hold paint over marine paint on wooden boats as it has a higher opaque and will cover those small imperfections;
have you evey thought of using small thin plastic cable ties instead of wire,
As you will see in my site I used temperary blocks of wood instead of the stich method
If there is any dents in the wood wet a cloth, place it over the dent then place a hot iron quickly over the cloth the wood swells taking out the dent.
Do add any tips you have.