PVC Cutter

I had never bothered using a PVC cutter before; I always used a hand saw or my powered miter saw if I had a lot of PVC to cut. The downside of saws is they leave behind static electrically charged shavings which get everywhere. With a cutter it works just like a big pair of ratcheting pliers; just squeeze, release, squeeze, release, until the blade cuts all the way through the tubing. I recently purchased this cutter from Home Depot for around $10:

PVC Cutter Propped Up On A Snowy A Frame

It works very nicely. I’ve used it on up to 1 1/4” schedule 40 PVC tubing. For larger diameters you’ll need a more expensive model. The only non-intuitive aspect of these cutters is that you pull the handles apart to open them. I have to admit to not “getting” that initially.

Definitely a good investment if you are going to be building your own PVC agility equipment. Hey just in time for the holidays!