Originally Posted by
RobertUI
I like your style... my son knows how to TIG weld... maybe we should give it a go? enough mud and noone will notice! :-)
Yes go for it
When I say a bit of brass, I mean I would use TIG silicon bronze, just as a kind of filler, after welding the crack with a steel rod. You could skip the brass though-- it isn't really necessary. Just car body filler is fine. So long as you have a good weld of the actual crack it's all good. Also make sure you bolt a dummy axle in place before welding to minimize distortion. You will probably still need to make some minor adjustments afterwards but this is fine.
People put huge dimples into chainstays anyway so I don't think a dent will do any harm. Also a broken CS while riding is the sort of failure you will probably get away with. Of course don't sell the frame after repairing it without full disclosure!