Repair of combustion turbine components

A method of repairing a combustion turbine component having damage located at or near a cooling hole or hollow or geometrically complex portion of the component, comprising:

• forming a preparatory groove that extends from a surface of the component to the damaged area but does not extend to the cooling hole or hollow or geometrically complex portion of the component, the groove extending 40–90% the distance from the surface of the component to a portion of the damaged area that is closest to the cooling hole or geometrically complex portion of the component;
• spraying a filler material into the groove with a micro-plasma torch at a current of less than 50 ampers;
• and
• filling the groove with the filler material such that the heated filler material substantially extends from the cooling hole or hollow or geometrically complex portion of the component to a surface of the component.