Refurbishing a Dio, any advice.

Granted that it wasn't a dio .... I re-did a figure base not too long ago and it really wasn't too difficult.

When you say things are "connected to the base" are you talking about just connected to the clay or does it go deeper than that? Here's two ways I'd go about it...

1) Gently pull up on the figures, etc until they dislodge. Depending on how strong they are you might just want to pull at the feet. If you take some papertowel and wrap it around the piece that you're going to pull on you can protect it. Plus, if you use something like needle-nose pliers, you can use them parallel to the base, using a wooden dowel or th base itself as a fulcrum. This will give you a lot more control.

2) If the above doesn't work, just try tearing up the groundwork from around the exsisting pieces. This will allow you to peck and chip away at the groundwork from around whatever you used to attach the figures, etc. Then either cut the attachments, or go back to "above".

HTHs.

In addition to what modelchasm suggested, you can try wrapping masking tape around needle-nosed pliers for padding and then pick away at the figures close to the ground.

 

By far the safest way to get the figures off is to chisel away at the ground around their feet until they come loose, and once free, gently remove any remaining ground work from the soles of their boots. (as suggested above)

Ok, well the mechs themselves wernt attached to the dio, but the fighter and the broken shield was, I have attempted and successfully got them off, but that brings up another question.  How should I go about revamping the base, the method I used there took to long and used to many supplies.  I have styrofoam to make the basic shape of the base but I do not know what to do to cover the styrofoam to make it look like sand, and make the correct ridges (before I put the actuial sand down)

I think I can speak for a couple of people here that use styro for base material in saying that wall spackle is a great cover for styro. The basic shape of your terrain should come from the styro itself. Then just use a coat or two of spackle, prime, paint, and then add actually sand on using white glue, and you should be good.

 

well for the sand I ahve a spray adhesive I put down in layers, but the thing I dunno about is for small ridges caused by wind on the sand, dunno how to do that in styro without it being pointy.

I see what you mean. I think that your method of spray adhesive and sand is a good technique. I'll have to store that one away for later.

For the "dunes", I'd get the basic form from the styro. Then sculpt it the best you can from the wall spackle ... once its dry, its sandable, so you can refine it from there. If you sand it too much, just add a little more spackle.

The great thing about mother nature is that she's original. No one can tell you that your sand dunes don't look right. If they do, just ask them to point out where the perfect dunes are so that you can go visit them. As long as they have the correct general look, I'd say that you're on your way.

well I modeled it off of a photo, but I like the way I have it set up, it seems natural.  Also, while this would be hard for transportation and such, I put loose sand ontop of the glued down sand, just to make it look natural, works great on my shelf, not so much taking it to a contest (which is why I wana redo the base.  Im gona have a bunch of entries for the next mosquito con)