busted heater control... need HELP!!

[beater69]

my fan speed control lever recently broke. so i took it all apart in the process i had to seperate the steel framework from the potmetal faceplate. that seems to be my problem. i'm not sure what you call them but, the rivet type things that attach the two pieces together are falling apart. otherwise the faceplate is fine. can i get away with jbwelding them together? or maybe using sheet metal screws and if they stick through the face i can grind them down and use the new decal to replace the old one? that seems really cheesy, i just don't want to ruin it further and have to buy a new one.
any one go through this?