The present invention includes a long cylindrical sputtering target assembly and a method for manufacturing the assembly. The long cylindrical sputtering target assembly comprises a cylindrical sputtering target having a length greater than approximately thirty-six inches and being comprised of one or more cylindrical sputtering target sections; a cylindrical backing tube; and an attachment layer, such as indium, positioned between the cylindrical sputtering target and the cylindrical backing tube for attaching the cylindrical sputtering target to the cylindrical backing tube. The method comprises the steps of preparing an outside surface of a cylindrical backing tube and/or an inside surface of one or more cylindrical sputtering target sections for bonding; bringing the cylindrical backing tube and the one or more cylindrical sputtering target sections together so that the outside surface of the cylindrical backing tube and the inside surface of the one or more cylindrical sputtering target sections are adjacent to each other but separated by a space, with the one or more cylindrical sputtering target sections having a total length greater than thirty-six inches; and filling the space with an attachment material comprised of indium while the backing tube is oriented in a vertical direction.