A new tool I have added to my collection is a small bolt cutter. I find this much better then standard clippers for cutting metal. I also use it for clipping paperclips for pinning.
It\'s not perfect for detail work, so I just use this to get the big chunks then use a dremel and nomal clippers to get the fidly bits.
One other trick I use even more often then this is not removing the base at all, but building something up around it to hide it. The Fairies in my Gallery were done this way as was the Siren.