Recently, I installed some 4"-dia. PVC drain pipe in my shop for a dust collection system. To get tight-fitting joints, I needed to cut the pipe ends squarely. I came up with a simple idea to do this that works with pipe of all sizes.
A simple setup. Using my drill press and a wing cutter, I cut a hole in a block same size as the diameter of the pipe that I was going to use.
(You could also use a jigsaw to rough out the hole, then file and sand it to its final shape.)
As you see above, I made the blocks from two pieces of plywood glued together. I made two of these blocks — one to support the far end of the pipe, and the other to guide my saw blade while making the cut.
To get a good grip on the pipe, I cut a slot in the guide block and clamped the pipe in place on the top of my workbench, the inset photo shows this.
I use a hack saw to cut the pipe, keeping the saw blade flush with the guide block. You can also use a Japanese Ryoba saw. It will also ride against the guide block and leave a smooth cut in the PVC.
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