Scraper use

[DC]

If I rasp the belly to follow the undulations of the back and then switch to a scraper does it follow the undulations well or does it tend to wonder off? Put another way, does a scraper follow an uneven surface well?

[Pat B]

The scraper will follow the undulations but can make a washboard along the belly. You can control this somewhat by alternating the angle the scraper is pulled along the surface. I go one scrape with the scraper perpendicular to the belly, than at a 45 deg angle to the left then the same to the right. By angling the scraper at a 45 you take down the high spots to help control the washboard.
 You will have to pay more attention with undulating surface than you would with a flat surface.

[Hrothgar]

What Pat said, also be careful of the amount of pressure you put on the scraper. Some of the rasp marks can be removed with coarse sandpaper while following the undulations.

[Weylin]

I agree with these guys but there is one thing to look out for. pay attention to the pressure you put on the scraper and make sure it's even along the length of stroke. It can be easy to take more off the ridges and glide over the valleys, not digging in as much. Slow down a little if there is a lot of variation and use your fingers to monitor the taper so that you do not create thin spots.

[DC]

Thanks guys. Good advice! If you look at the dips as downhill and then uphill the part I was concerned about was maybe it cutting a little light on the downhill and then tending to dig in and cut deep on the uphill which would, in effect move the dip along the bow. Weylin covered that.

[Springbuck]

  Short wiping strokes on uneven surfaces.  This is one of those situations where using a fine rasp and scraper alternately works great.

[George Tsoukalas]

I am glad you follow the rasp with the scraper. That way there are few gouges to remove.
What I do is keep alternating. Jawge

[Badger]

  If I notice some kind of pattern developing with my scraper I will sometimes use the rasp to flatten it back out or remove a hump or gouge te scraper catching on. They work pretty good on smooth gently rolling surfaces but can jump if the curved area is too abrupt.