Sintered articles

A method of making a generally long tubular article having a bore therethrough, the method comprising the steps of pressing at least two generally tubular powder metallurgy components which are joined together in an axial relationship, each said component having an axial length less than that of the tubular article;

• said at least two components having interconnected porosity and each having at least one mutual mating face;
• said at least one mutual mating faces providing a butt joint in said article;
• assembling said at least two components together so that said at least one mutual mating faces are in proximity to each other and constitute an interface, placing an infiltrant material in the bore of the assembled components;
• heating the assembled components to melt the infiltrant material and cause said infiltrant material to infiltrate said interconnected porosity including through the interface between said at least one mutual mating faces so as to cause said components to become bonded together by the infiltrant material, wherein each of said two generally tubular powder metallurgy components have a density variation between the ends and middle thereof of 7% or less in the pressed and uninfiltrated condition, wherein the length of each of said two components is less than 70 mm and the quantity of said infiltrant material is matched to the available porosity of said two components and said infiltrant material substantially fills said interconnected porosity.