welding aint cheap, cost me $30 to tig weld a SS fuel rail together...Got a community college around? Show the instructor what you want and I bet he gives it to a student and supervises. Id just drill the crack end with a tiny drill bit, fill it with iron powder infused glue (Q-bond) and send it to get powder/jet hot coated. Will seal most small cracks, also useful on porous factory AL slant ion beam welded intakes. That Q-Bond is sold at my industrial supply store and is remarkable. They glued a 6" pipe to a flange and you can hang on it.
