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Hi Lavoy, The ceramics have always been very expensive to use as there considered expendable. Ceramic is nothing more than fine clay fired at 2000� and above. What works really well is copper for working with steel, SS and Aluminum. Even in small quanitys, a piece of CU 1-1/4" x 12" should cost around $20 and is reusable for many years. Bronze and Brass have too much zinc and will create a gas when welded with mild steel electrodes leaving behind alot of porosity with-in the weldment. Carbon can NOT be used as it would add carbon with-in the weldment causing cracking from imbrittlement. Aluminum works ok but not as well as CU as AL will leave behind a residue on most metals. SS works as a good chill bar for AL. For your project at hand CU is clearly the best choice. You would want to back gouge taper 1/2 of total thickness with a grinder away from the orginal hole diameter, then clamp the CU tight conforming to the orginal hole size, then preheat too about 900� (blind hole welding for penetration), then weld as normal runing the root passes first then work to the outside thickness, then quench with oil. Tig would give the closest hole conformity next to the copper with the least amount discontinuties of any weld process. Mig would be my second choice with being very careful of cold lapp. Stick with 6010 or 6011 would be may last choice. A person would have to pay close attention of slag removal. T_Bone
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