cuttinghand-tools
I am making a control panel out of wood, and I need to cut out a small 3" x 3" square hole in 1/2" plywood. I only have a small handsaw, with a wide blade. (about 2" wide) I don't feel comfortable using power tools for cutting, (*Jigsaws, reciprocating saws, band saws, etc.) so that is not an option. If I even cut this with my saw, how should I do it?
I also included a simple diagram of what it should look like.
Take a 2x4 or other long straight edge, and stand on it to compress the pad and stabilize it, then use your utility knife to cut it.
There is a tool that is made for cutting out the PVC pipe in a joint so that it may be used again. That tool may be useful to square up the end of the pipe in this case if you were able to hold the tool inline with the pipe while it shaves off the high part of the pipe. This is what one example of the tool looks like.
These are used to chucking up the tool into a good sized electric drill (AC powered is recommended). The round slug on the end of the tool keeps the cutter centered in the pipe so that the cutters will shave off the PVC pipe in the coupling. In your case this may allow you to square off the pipe in your drain if you can hold the tool steady whilst it shaves off the high part.
Note that not all PVC pipe shavers are suitable to your situation. Some of them do not have the same type of round slug as shown above. Cheaper ones may just have a thin washer style guide to hold the cutter centered in the pipe. Even the above tool type may not work in your instance if the non-square end of your pipe is too angled.
When searching for these the search phrase you want is "PVC fitting saver".
Best Answer
You're not going to be able to reasonably cut the square out with your hand saw. You'd have to scrape through the wood instead of cutting it.
Pick up or rent a coping saw and a hand drill (See saw below). Drill a hole in the four corners, remove the blade from the saw and run it through a hole, hook it back up and saw away.