Dense alumina ceramics have been fabricated by the colloidal shaping of alumina slurry using methylcellulose as the networking additive. Concentration as low as 0.08 wt% of methylcellulose had been found to be sufficient enough to convert an alumina slurry of 74-75 wt% solid loading, to consolidated shapes by thermal gelation at 701-801C. Cast shapes could be sintered to dense alumina (99% TD) at temperatures in the range of 15001-15251C at a minimum heating rate of 1801C/h. The effect of methylcellulose concentration on the viscosity of suspensions was studied and green strengths of samples are investigated.