I would do all your geometry clean up before you go ahead and texture... Weird things can happen when you jump a step in your process 
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The best way to check your UV Layout works it to use a checker texture, then go ahead with your own textures and work out the kinks and tweak.
Chris (formerly R@nSiD)
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When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will truely know peace - Jimmy Hendrix
Winner SM VFX Challenge 1
3rd Place SM SteamPunk Challenge (May 2007)