A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure, includes: a step of manufacturing a honeycomb formed body to manufacture a non-fired honeycomb formed body having volume of 7 L or more; a drying step of drying the manufactured non-fired honeycomb formed body to obtain a honeycomb dried body; and a firing step of firing the obtained honeycomb dried body to obtain a honeycomb structure. The drying step includes: an induction drying step to obtain a first dried honeycomb formed body by removing 20 to 80% of the entire water that the non-fired honeycomb formed body contained before drying, and a microwave drying step to obtain a honeycomb dried body by removing the residual water. The honeycomb dried body subjected to this microwave drying step is obtained by removing 90% or more of the entire water that the non-fired honeycomb formed body contained before drying.

An object is to provide a graphite-copper composite electrode material that is capable of reducing electrode wear to a practically usable level and to provide an electrical discharge machining electrode using the material. A graphite-copper composite electrode material includes a substrate comprising a graphite material and having pores, and copper impregnated in the pores of the substrate, the electrode material having an electrical resistivity of 2.5 m or less, preferably 1.5 m or less, more preferably 1.0 m or less. It is desirable that the substrate comprising the graphite material have an anisotropy ratio of 1.2 or less. It is desirable that an impregnation rate of the copper in the electrode material is 13% or greater. It is desirable that the substrate comprising the graphite material have a bulk density of from 1.40 Mg/m.sup.3 to 1.85 Mg/m.sup.3.

A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure, includes: a step of manufacturing a honeycomb formed body to manufacture a non-fired honeycomb formed body having volume of 7 L or more; a drying step of drying the manufactured non-fired honeycomb formed body to obtain a honeycomb dried body; and a firing step of firing the obtained honeycomb dried body to obtain a honeycomb structure. The drying step includes: an induction drying step to obtain a first dried honeycomb formed body by removing 20 to 80% of the entire water that the non-fired honeycomb formed body contained before drying, and a microwave drying step to obtain a honeycomb dried body by removing the residual water. The honeycomb dried body subjected to this microwave drying step is obtained by removing 90% or more of the entire water that the non-fired honeycomb formed body contained before drying.

An object is to provide a graphite-copper composite electrode material that is capable of reducing electrode wear to a practically usable level and to provide an electrical discharge machining electrode using the material. A graphite-copper composite electrode material includes a substrate comprising a graphite material and having pores, and copper impregnated in the pores of the substrate, the electrode material having an electrical resistivity of 2.5 m or less, preferably 1.5 m or less, more preferably 1.0 m or less. It is desirable that the substrate comprising the graphite material have an anisotropy ratio of 1.2 or less. It is desirable that an impregnation rate of the copper in the electrode material is 13% or greater. It is desirable that the substrate comprising the graphite material have a bulk density of from 1.40 Mg/m.sup.3 to 1.85 Mg/m.sup.3.