[DonRotolo]

Does anyone think that instead of welding, a good hit with a center punch in the pin end flush with the carrier plate will tend to swage the pin in place?

Don

[EDIT]: The thought is that you support the far (sticking-out-and-holding-the-gears) end and give it a healthy whack. The pin shouldn't move, but the end of the pin should expand slightly by the displacement of metal from the ding in the end of the pin. BUT one must consider how hard the material is (can it deform elasically enough to increase in size) and whether the carrier plate will 'grip' a pin enough using this method. [/EDIT]