You don't necessarily need to weld it. If you get the appropriate 55mm Exhaust clamp, you can use them to hold it together. I did it when I cut mine and had to reinstall my OEM. They are pretty affordable on Ebay. VW makes an OEM one, but it's pricey. I ran it like that for a couple thousand miles leak free. You could also put a beat of RTV around the ends after install if you're really worried about it.