A method of repair additive build up of a nickel (Ni) base superalloy with significant titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al) content comprising: a) prep lacing a Ni base superalloy powder having substantial Ti and Al content onto a substrate of substantially the same or similar composition as the Ni base superalloy powder; b) preheating the prep laced powder to a temperature above 1200 deg. C with a first heat source; c) melting the preplaced powder with one or more passes of a directed energy beam second heat source so as to produce a heat affected zone having a width less than 100 microns, removing the second heat source when melting is completed; d) performing a controlled step and hold cooling of the melted preplaced powder with the first heat source such that a known fraction of the γ' phase is formed during the step and hold cooling; and, e) adjusting the step and hold cooling such that the partition of Al and Ti between the γ and γ' phases in the additive build up causes a reduction in cracking susceptibility, wherein the step and hold cooling is from an initial temperature T 1 of 1200 deg. C or above and to room temperature and consists of a plurality of steps: a. Holding at T 1 for a time in the range from 1 min to 3 min; b. Cooling to a temperature T 2 lower than T 1 and hold for a time in the range from 2 min to 15 min so as to produce less than 20 weight percent γ' phase; c. Cooling to a temperature T 3 lower than T 2 and hold for a time in the range from 2 min to 30 min so as to produce less than 20 weight percent γ' phase; d. Cooling to a temperature T 4 lower than T 3 and hold for a time in the range from 6 min to 120 min so as to produce less than 20 weight percent γ' phase; and e. Cooling to room temperature in a plurality of cooling steps from T 4 to room temperature wherein the temperature at each step is maintained from 1 hour to 20 hours, so as to produce less than 20 weight percent γ'. a) prep lacing a Ni base superalloy powder having substantial Ti and Al content onto a substrate of substantially the same or similar composition as the Ni base superalloy powder; b) preheating the prep laced powder to a temperature above 1200 deg. C with a first heat source; c) melting the preplaced powder with one or more passes of a directed energy beam second heat source so as to produce a heat affected zone having a width less than 100 microns, removing the second heat source when melting is completed; d) performing a controlled step and hold cooling of the melted preplaced powder with the first heat source such that a known fraction of the γ' phase is formed during the step and hold cooling; and, e) adjusting the step and hold cooling such that the partition of Al and Ti between the γ and γ' phases in the additive build up causes a reduction in cracking susceptibility, a. Holding at T 1 for a time in the range from 1 min to 3 min; b. Cooling to a temperature T 2 lower than T 1 and hold for a time in the range from 2 min to 15 min so as to produce less than 20 weight percent γ' phase; c. Cooling to a temperature T 3 lower than T 2 and hold for a time in the range from 2 min to 30 min so as to produce less than 20 weight percent γ' phase; d. Cooling to a temperature T 4 lower than T 3 and hold for a time in the range from 6 min to 120 min so as to produce less than 20 weight percent γ' phase; and e. Cooling to room temperature in a plurality of cooling steps from T 4 to room temperature wherein the temperature at each step is maintained from 1 hour to 20 hours, so as to produce less than 20 weight percent γ'.