Ceramic guide block and method of manufacture

A method for manufacturing saw blade guide blocks from ceramic material, including the steps of:

• identifying a desired guide block size and shape to fit the guide block on a saw in a position supporting a saw blade;
• compressing a ceramic powder into a billet having dimensions sufficiently large to encompass a volume similar in shape to the desired guide block but larger in size than the desired guide block, the ceramic powder being of a type which shrinks when the ceramic powder is heated;
• milling the billet to a shape similar to that of the desired guide block but larger in size than the desired guide block;
• heating the billet;
• returning the billet to room temperature with the billet transformed into a ceramic guide block of the desired guide block size and shape;
• wherein said compressing step includes compressing the ceramic powder sufficiently that the powder can adhere together as a solid unitary mass without fracture during said milling step;
• wherein said compressing step includes compressing the ceramic powder to at least about 30,000 pounds per square inch;
• wherein said heating step includes heating the billet to at least about 3,000° F.;
• wherein said heating step includes the step of continuing to heat the billet for at least thirty hours;
• wherein the larger size of the billet after said milling step over the size of the desired guide block is eighteen percent;
• wherein said heating step includes heating the billet to a sufficient temperature to cause the billet to harden into a post-firing state which is shrunk relative to a size of the billet before said heating step;
• including the further step of deburring edges and corners of the ceramic guide block;
• wherein said milling step includes the step of milling the billet into an elongated rectangular form;
• and
• wherein the ceramic powder of said compressing step is at least 97.5 percent pure alumina oxide.