Stu needs to read this and then he will explain about the squish area!!
Alloy welding a head? I would not do that due heat related problems as the head and the welded area will heat up at different rates..
If the weld dropped out due to expansion of the head it would kill a expensive bottom end..
I've seen 139mm heads which have been tig welded and skimmed and passed off as a unskimmed head
u could clearly see around the water jackets that it had been welded!!!!
Paul