Why Rudder
Well, for slow rolls I must add top side rudder or I drop altitude. Don't need much rudder... just a smidge. For standard rolls I also drop altitude if I do multiple rolls. I've tried adding just elevator for standard rolls but I don't like how the correction looks. I'm sure it's a pilot thing as I have a hard time finding just the right amount of elevator. I may set a lower rate for elevator to see if that helps.
I'm feel the opposite way on mixes. Mixes won't fly the plane but I feel they can make the plane easier and more predictable to fly. As for the R->E mix, I have mixed about 3% up elevator to rudder (required for KE tracking.) If anything the mix should have helped prevent the push to belly when rudder is added. I have attempted the rolls with the mix off and even with the mix set as high as 10%. It was pretty gusty the day I tested this but as best I can tell there was't much change. This is probably because I'm not adding much rudder so the slaved elevator just barely moves regardless of the mix setting.
You mentioned easing off the elevator in the first knifeedge. I guess I never really thought about needing to push some down elevator at that point but I must have been doing it unconsciously. I had someone watch my thumbs on the plane in question and they said I always push down just after starting the roll. I worked on stopping that which is why I mentioned in the first post that I don't think I am pushing down (anymore.) However, you may be very right that I am still over correcting on the first roll.
I just wanted to be sure that this issue was a pilot issue as opposed to a trim issue. I'm leaning toward "pilot issue" because I can't think of any trim issue that would cause the rolling circle. Thanks for you input Greenboot.