: Ok, end result is that when moving down from the top of the deck to the shear
: line, I've got a hollow in the surface for about 5 strips where it should
: be convex. the hollow is about 4 inchs by 8 inches, with no stations
: underneath. I figure I need to move the surface out about 1/4 of an inch
: at the deepest part.

Sounds to me like you ave a premade spot for a wood inlay! Figure out a pattern that would look nice there and cut it out of roughly 1/4 inch thick stock. Glue it to the surface, and check with a straightedge that the wood you are applying iwll be a bit higher than necessary. Surround your design with a border of an even colored wood. Depending on your design this may be lighter or darker than the design and/or the deck. You may not need to have this border as thick as your central design -- but it should still be thick enough so that it is above the line you wish to fair down to.

When all the glue is set up, sand or plane down your additions, feathering the edges of the border so that it fairs into your strips.

When you are done you'll have a nice inlay which is absolutely fair, and yet it does not compormise the strip thickness, or require precise incising.

Hope this helps.

PGJ