# Dustopper from Home Depot review



## AM420

Thanks for the review!

Curious if these shop vac setups work well for the big waste makers like jointers and planers. I had a 1HP dust collector before that could not handle my jointer and planer waste, and the hose was constantly clogged up. I don't mean a lot of time and sometimes not, I mean, all the time!

I eventually upgraded to a 2HP model that works like a champ, but it takes up a lot of room in my very small workspace.


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## SaltyDog

I use mine with a Dewalt 2-knife planer, and it works fine. You will need an adapter to I/F with a standard wet/dry vac hose. Probably wouldn't handle the load with a wimpy vac. I use a Ridgid 1450, which is marketed as a 6.0 hp model…whatever that means. We put up a 12-foot Christmas tree every year, so there's usually a big pile of needles to deal with in early January. I vacuumed up about 3 gals worth, and NOT ONE needle got past the separator.


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## Desert_Woodworker

Thanks for the review


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## htl

I've built 3 or 4 cyclones and enjoyed the projects and they all got the job done but the other day I saw theses at HD and wondered about them and had been waiting for a review on one. 
Thanks for the post.


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## Hawaiilad

Thanks for the review. I will check those out for sure.


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## Desert_Woodworker

After further review, *as they say on "Shark Tank I'm Out!"*
Initially I was interested, until I did further research on other reviews of it.
For instance, a Home Depot product review-

"Verified Purchase" 
I like the product but it doesn't seal against the lip of the bucket. There are two locking tabs that barely grab the side of the bucket to lock the Dustopper on top. Because of the poor seal, I have less suction and poor separation. So it was a waste of 40 bucks. I want to return it but I did use it so I guess I will keep it."

The material of the Dust Deputy is made of an anti-static resin as compared to Dustopper? From what I can ascertain from this review and other marketing photos- it appears to be awfully flimsy as compared to the *picture of the original creator's pitch. *










Also, what actually is the material composition of Dustopper; for all plastics are not equal. I could not find out what type of "plastic" it is.
Not for me.


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## htl

The one advantage I see is it will go under a table as it's much lower than a true cyclone.
My tip for any of these [built or bought] is to use a 7 gallon pool bucket that has a screw on lid, glue the hollowed out pool lid on it and all is good or at least usable.
One other idea is that Home Depot also sells a screw on lid that works with a five gal. paint bucket, but would take a little diy to fit it up.

But for less that $40 build your own out of scraps.
It's a little taller but has worked great for 3 years now.
Here's the blog.


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## ScottKaye

> After further review, *as they say on "Shark Tank I'm Out!"*
> Initially I was interested, until I did further research on other reviews of it.
> For instance, a Home Depot product review-
> 
> "Verified Purchase"
> I like the product but it doesn t seal against the lip of the bucket. There are two locking tabs that barely grab the side of the bucket to lock the Dustopper on top. Because of the poor seal, I have less suction and poor separation. So it was a waste of 40 bucks. I want to return it but I did use it so I guess I will keep it."
> 
> The material of the Dust Deputy is made of an anti-static resin as compared to Dustopper? From what I can ascertain from this review and other marketing photos- it appears to be awfully flimsy as compared to the *picture of the original creator's pitch. *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, what actually is the material composition of Dustopper; for all plastics are not equal. I could not find out what type of "plastic" it is.
> Not for me.
> 
> - Desert_Woodworker


Desert Woodworker. I normally agree with everything you write.. except this time. If you read Home Depot's response they clearly question the type of bucket the user placed the unit on top of. They go on to say that their unit is designed to sit on top of a HOMER bucket. I plan to pick one of these up and use it as intended on top of a Homer bucket. I'll report back how well it works or doesn't work. As far as what kind of plastic the head is made out of, I seriously doubt its made out of antistatic plastic but we are talking shop vac here. Something that's on for at most 5-10 mins at a pop. I'm no expert but it's not very likely that a shop vac could generate enough static electricity to cause a spark and ignite material in a plastic homer bucket.

Here is their response if you want to read it as its quite thorough:

Response from Home Depot
THD Customer Service
April 10, 2018
Dear Valued Homedepot Customer,

Thank you for sharing your initial experience with Dustopper. We understand you have some disappointment associated with suction loss, and would like you to know the Home Depot and it's manufacturer are here to help.

The photos you posted are very helpful in diagnosing the issue you have described. You are correct to point out a good fit between the Dustopper and the bucket it sits upon are essential for good separation performance, and to minimize suction loss. Let's focus on these do possible concerns one at a time.

Regarding fitment to the bucket: Dustopper was designed to fit ideally on a Homer Bucket. While most standard 5-gallon buckets work well when used with a Dustopper, some buckets may have been manufactured at the fringes of acceptable tolerance for "standard dimensions". This means there may be some leakage around the perimeter of the connection between the Dustopper and the bucket's top flange. Leakage around the perimeter will reduce separation efficiency and lower suction at the working end of your pickup hose. If you worry that air is entering around the edge of your Dustopper, we suggest the addition a gasket made 3/8" X 1/8" foam insulation tape. This works best when adhered to the surface on the underside of the Dustopper that comes in contact with the bucket. Another solution would be to purchase a Home Depot Homer Bucket which should work well in your shop.

More on loss of suction: Any device that works as a filter will cause some restriction to air flow. Going from a standard filter to a HEPA filter, for example, will result in a measurable amount of suction loss. It's also worth mentioning that ALL cyclonic separators are also restrictive to air flow. Generally speaking, cyclonic separators that are intentionally engineered for high separation efficiency, will be more restrictive to air flow than less efficient chip separators from years ago. We aren't certain why you chose to "daisy-chain" two high efficiency separators. The two separators in your photo, The Dustopper and a conventional cone-shaped cyclone, are both high efficiency devices capable of separating 99% of typical dust made in most workshops. This means that the first separator in your daisy-chain configuration will collect (in most situations) about 99% of the particulate before the air (with less than 1% dust) passes to the second separator. Since only the finest dust will enter the second separator, this dust has a higher likelihood of passing through to the vacuum's pleated filter. In other words, the second separator collects little, but ads significantly to the total restriction in airflow of the entire system. Daisey chaining of dust separators is generally not recommended in most shop applications. Suggest you try Dustopper on its own while fitted to a Homer Bucket. As you can see, those using this configuration are usually very happy with their results.


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## Dwain

Thanks ScottKaye,

I appreciate the clarification!


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## Desert_Woodworker

Scott- then we have…
Notice the original prototype (looks well made)









Then look at "OP"s actual mass produced product photo (appears to be a thin cheap plastic which would be susceptible to breakage)

This is substantiated by 2 additional reviews:

1. "This product is very thin plastic that becomes brittle with age and use. The clips break off and it is unusable. Should be better quality for the price of $40. My first one died in 2 weeks. The included instructions show a much sturdier version. Also NO seal around bucket lid included in package. Does not separate completely but definitely reduces the intake of debris to vac."

2. "The system does a great job collecting dust, however, I was disappointed with the quality of the lid. It's not a very thick plastic and it's difficult to snap in place. After the fourth time of emptying the bucket the lid cracked while reattaching."

Also, from a few YTube videos and HDepots marketing pics- nobody shows the area where the lid connects to the bucket- by "plastic snaps" 
This product is not for me.


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## SaltyDog

Home Depot's site has a ton of excellent reviews. Also, here's an independent analysis that's seems to be very fair on YouTube. Every review and blog site has a few outlier reviews that are 1 and 2 stars, even for the top selling brands. Clearly, there are a lot more people that like their Dustoppers than those that don't.


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## Desert_Woodworker

I am sure that people will love this product- 
The video above above, demonstrates and compares it, but he did not discuss the quality of the "build". Compare the product in the video and review the picture that I posted above- night and day. The plastic clips that hold it to the bucket- that is a no-brainer, that it will fail sooner than later.

The good thing is that, should you not like it- HDepot- they have a great returns policy.
Question: will it work with a Lowes bucket?









p.s. Thanks a lot Scott


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## NormG

I have a friend who has one, he had the same issue of the top not initially sealing. After speaking with the HD salesperson, they recommended just like the response from them above to use only a Homer bucket. No issues since the change he says and loves it. His is the darker orange unit, so there was a change at some point is the material used.


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## htl

They are made with stolen safety coned so the color may vary. 
Well they could be !!!


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## SaltyDog

I personally am not crazy about orange. But heck, even if they were dirty baby diaper brown, it's hard to find fault in something with a low profile that separates well, AND is plug and play with most 5 gallon pails. Sounds to me like Home Depot may be onto something pretty significant.


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## 000

Having never used separators, I don't get it. 
So it separates the bigger pieces and lets the finer stuff into the shop vac?
Both containers still have to be emptied regularly, what is the benefit?

It's trapping the same amount of sawdust, just into 2 containers?


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## htl

jbay If it's working right it all goes into the cyclone bucket and a cup or so a year for the vac.
How much the vac catches depends on how good a filter you buy.


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## Desert_Woodworker

*Htl *-yes they could be "just a different color" but my observation says it is a different material. For example, the photo that I posted looks like a Corvette as compared to HD mass injection molded version that they are marketing, which is comparable to a Yugo. Again let's look how it attaches-plastic flip tabs? Not for me.

*Salty- " it's hard to find fault in something with a low profile that separates well, AND is plug and play with most 5 gallon pails."*

How long do you think the plastic flip lock down tabs will last? I can only comment from what I see and read- I have not been convinced so far from what I have seen or read. *Yes to what you said about HDepot being on to something.*

*Jbay-*


> Having never used separators, I don t get it.
> So it separates the bigger pieces and lets the finer stuff into the shop vac?
> Both containers still have to be emptied regularly, what is the benefit?
> 
> It s trapping the same amount of sawdust, just into 2 containers?
> 
> - jbay


 Yes you have to clean both containers and the filter. I have found that the majority of the bulk waste goes into the separator, then to my premium filter bags and then I still have to clean the canister filter.
Three steps for a through cleaning. The benefit for me, by following the 3 steps- my 4 vacuum systems run great.
*"It s trapping the same amount of sawdust, just into 2 containers?"*
No the separator takes the bulk matter, the inside bag collects secondary material and finally the filter tries to protect the motor.
Then we get to "fine dust" that goes into the air which we breathe or travels throughout the shop. I'll stop here for we will get into the Bill Pentz stuff.

To others: The reason for my critique- I have been doing this for years. I have purchased many intro products that turned out to be unsatisfactory, but were touted as the next big thing.
Should you have and like this product GREAT!

Ps Thanks Jbay you saved me $50 bucks
Pss Thanks Scott


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## SaltyDog

How sad that opinions are often based on assumptions rather than facts. As a lifelong woodworker and nearly 10-year member of Jumberjocks, I never dreamed a day would come when something I created would come under attack from others sharing common love for woodworking. My name is Tom Huntley, and I am the inventor of Dustopper.

Out of respect to Lumgerjock's policies on keeping this forum information based, I am only going to share details that are factual, and promise not to post anything intended to promote or advertise anything. Hopefully those who make decisions on what is acceptable will understand that inaccurate information passed off as "facts" is equally as inappropriate to our readers as is using this medium as part of a marketing strategy. I promise to avoid any form of advertising or promotion in the commentary that follows.

Here are the facts on Dustopper:


Dustopper is made of Polypropylene, and is a translucent by design. While many users may never experience a clogged Dustopper, it is translucent so one can easily tell if they have a clogged Dustopper or a clogged hose. We suggested the color to our retail partner. It could just as easily have been clear.
Dustopper's thickness ranges from .090" to .115" depending on where the thickness measurements are taken. Experts in the plastics industry were consulted on materials selection and thickness. The ends of a typical hose cuff are generally thinner, and usually withstand years of service in tough shop settings. There's no reason a Dustopper should not perform equally as well.
The photo above that has a "Corvette-like" finish is fiberglass laid over a wood plug. The white Dustopper in the logo next to my name is a 3D print. Since 3D prints are very expensive, most of the 100 or so prototypes I made were from fiberglass. Only one was painted, and that is the one pictured above.
When compared with cone-shaped separators in side-by-side tests, Dustopper generally performs extremely well. Often they are said to perform about the same. 
So far, independent comparisons of Dustopper's performance with other designs has been relatively fair. This is my first experience where rumor and allegory have been used against Dustopper. So far, YouTube has been a good source for this kind of data
Most wet/dry vacuums do not have gaskets around the perimeter of the collection container. A good fit is better than a gasket which can be prone to rips, gouges, and other physical damage.
Leakage tests have been performed on Dustopper when properly fitted to a pail having a 12" OD opening. Any leakage that may be occurring was so slight it could barely be detected on our instruments.
All flow-through separators restrict the flow of air. Separators optimized to collect fines are more restrictive than those which allow more material to be collected by the filter. Dustopper causes about an 8" loss in water lift. 
Separators are not intended to do the work of a filter. They are intended to prolong the time between filter cleanings. Without a separator, it may be necessary to clean a filter every time the wet/dry vacuum is opened. With a separator, one may be able to vacuum up 50 gallons, often times much more more, without experiencing suction loss.
Of the 126 reviews for Dustopper on a larger retailer's site, 107 are positive. A handful are mixed, and a very small number point out varying levels of disappointment. Based on these overwhelming statistics, does it seem fair to take a comment from a one, or two-star rating and use that as a basis for discrediting a product that is otherwise noteworthy for its excellent performance?! This rationale seems so unreasonable that it's impossible to understand why someone with no personal experience using a Dustopper could be so convinced their position is either accurate or justified. That said, I think examples of this type of review are extraordinarily rare on Lumberjocks, so faith in my fellow woodworkers remains strong.
I have personally bootstrapped my business after loosing nearly everything in the last recession. This is not a product made by a large retailer or tool manufacturer. It's something any one of us on Lumberjocks could have contrived. I worked hard for nearly 3 years to get Dustopper right because I wanted a tool I could use and trust, and that helped me work better in my customers' homes. It was only by chance that I was blessed with an opportunity to make it a commercial success.
I have recently retired from woodworking, a hobby-turned-profession at the age of 59 when the company I worked for closed its doors, and I could not find a job. I have always considered Dustopper a gift of thought from God, and an opportunity to restore my life. We nearly lost everything. I thank Him daily for His love and grace.
You may have seen my earlier posts under the nickname "Salty Dog". I came out of the dog house to set the record straight.

Sincerely,
Tom Huntley


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## 000

So, basically it just keeps you from having to clean your shop vac filter as often,
and every 3rd or fourth dump, or so, you have to dump 2 containers?

Thanks Tom


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## SaltyDog

Jbay,

LOL. You'll never be sold on the idea of a separator…until you use one. Your numbers are wrong. It's not every 3rd or 4th dump, as you say. It's more like every 30th, or 40th dump.

Your assumption fits with the description of older "chip collectors". Today's better separators mean that you can often work for months and never have to wheel your shop vacuum outside to service it.

I know of an exhibit manufacturer in Grand Rapids, MI, that used to have all of their cutting stations set up with a dedicated shop vacuum connected to each. When the vacuum got full (often withing a couple of hours) the operator stopped, rolled their full vacuum to the dock, and then poured the contents into a dumpster. After dumping the wet/dry vac they banged the filter on the inside of the dumpster, reassembled everything, and rolled their vacuum back to their cutting station where they returned to work.

TODAY, they have a stack of 5-gallon buckets at each cutting station. Every cutting stations has a separator (with a bucket) between the saw and the vacuum. When a bucket is filled, a clean bucket is substituted, and the craftsman goes right back to work. At night, a cleaning crew goes around the shop with a pallet and collects all of the day's buckets of dust. Those then go to the dumpster and eventually back to the cutting station. This company, Xibits, Inc., is getting higher productivity out of there craftsmen (faster turnaround on work = more cash flow), longer service from their filters, and is spending far less on replacement vacuums. Before using a fines-capable separator on each saw, they would discard 5-6 wet/dry vacuums per year and purchase hundreds of filters.

They also ave a larger central vacuum system, but their 10,000 square-foot wood shop is often reconfigured to meet the needs of a particular project. Also, with some tools they needed the faster linear velocity and better static suction of a dedicated vacuum. While central vacs can move a large volume of air, they generally lack the static lift needed to collect some of the products cut, or types of cutting operations done at this facility.

We know what we're talking about when we say pre-separation is a good thing. Hundred's of thousands of craftsmen that have separators like them.

All that said, it's OK with us if you like your way.

Enjoy your day!


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## Desert_Woodworker

I will withhold comments until I actually see and use one. Tom, thanks for being straight up with us.


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## ScottKaye

@ Tom,

Thanks for the clarification! Now, how about expanding your design and 3d printing me a top for a 31-gallon metal can complete with 4" ports!

Scott


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## htl

The ones I've made you couldn't see the dust swirling around and tell how they were working but got one of the cheap Chinese cyclones ones and *really like that you can see the dust being moved around.*
So being able to see through the top is a plus in my book.

I used to let the dust pile sky high before I'd do a quick clean up [hard work] but since these cyclone got my attention and started using them I *really like* stopping and hitting the shop with the tool and in minutes of [can you say fun] I've got it under control and back to work.
And I need to add, I've never been a cleaner upper type person. lol


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## SaltyDog

Scott:

Do you think you avoided cleaning the shop in your pre-separator days because you knew you would have to deal with a messy filter? Just sayin…....

Piece 'o cake on making a 4" version.! Problem is the cost of 3D; especially one that is shaped like a dome. When there is suspended structure on a part that has a large span, a secondary media is needed to fill the void. The secondary media is usually water soluble so it can be washed away once it has done its job at holding up the part being made. Another issue is the thickness of plastic required to produce a separator strong enough to handle the large square inches of vacuum load. Given the volume of media used on my first 3D print, a 4" version could take several days to print. I had to work with several 3D printing sources before I could get the top of my design printed, and the cost was breathtaking. (to me at least!)

Actually, I'm pretty good on my knowledge of fly dynamics so I think I can forego 3D printing. I'm making a plug now that will handle a 5" port. That way, two 4" ports could be attached via a wye connection. I have a Delta 1250 cfm bag vac I'll be using for testing. I'll let everyone know how it works. I'm building a plug for a mold as I type.


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## htl

Scott a shovel and a broom were my only tools at the time. LOL
Now it's turn the switch and suck out the shop, I don't even have to look where I throw the broom. LOL


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## ScottKaye

> Scott:
> 
> Do you think you avoided cleaning the shop in your pre-separator days because you knew you would have to deal with a messy filter? Just sayin…....
> 
> - Tom Huntley


I'm sold man.. been on your side the whole thread.. not sure where you got the idea I was on the other side of the fence! Picking up your separator tomorrow.

Definitely let us know when your Beta 5"/4" lid is done and how it works. I've been eyeing the Super Dust deputy but that thing is too dang tall and much too expensive for what it is. If your product ever gets massed produced and it can come in at half the cost of the SDD for similar performance than you will make a killing in royalties!

Scott


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## ScottKaye

picked up a duststopper this morning. Since I had just cleaned the shop yesterday I didn't really have an area to test it out on until I remembered the table saw. Had a full bucket's worth of dust in the cabinet and the duststopper worked like a charm. 99% efficiency is highly accurate when it comes to table saw shavings anyway. I guess for finer dust applications (ie sanders) it would be far less efficient but will withhold that judgment until I actually can test it under that condition. The only negative I have about the product is the increase in DB level when running the vacuum. The Cyclone action of the duststopper causes quite the racket but then you can rest assured its working. on a side note, my unit was translucent orange. It is much better than the pictures of the white one that has been floating around. It's pretty cool to see the collected dust swirl around the duststopper on its way to the bucket and not your vacuum!

Scott

4.5 out of 5


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## SaltyDog

Hey Scott! Thanks for the biz. Also, I think your review is fair and accurate. This may shock the people in this thread, but the cut point of a Dust Deputy is a bit smaller than Dustopper's. So, if cut point (size of particle that has a 50/50 chance of being separated) is the ONLY measure, the venerable Dust Deputy wins. But, there are other issues to consider: Cost, convenience, transportability, throughput, ease of use, etc. Some users may only look at the separation efficiency and fail to consider other these important things related to ownership. They may argue a separator which is 99.8% efficient at 5 microns cut point will be considered TWICE as good as a separator that is 99.6% at 5 microns. This is because one will allow .4% to pass, and the other only allows .2% to pass. Since neither separates at the HEPA requirement of 99.97% at .3 microns, the final measure of separation effectiveness will always come down to the filter. This argument fails to consider all the other important attributes related to function in a specific wood-shop setting. For me, I go with a low profile design, followed by a bag filter that can last for months, followed by a HEPA filter. I rarely have to service the last two, and I have a separator/cart design that is amazingly user and shop friendly. I think time will tell you that you've made a good choice. I'm sure you will keep everyone posted.


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## htl

Great info there Tom.
I would just like to add that I use my cyclone with it exhausting out side so in the summer the air conditioned air is sucked out and in the winter the heat, [it is on only minutes at a time] But there is a benefit and that is it's also sucking out saw dust filled air from the room and fresh clean air is coming in though the door and what not. 
In my little bitty shop this is a plus.


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## Desert_Woodworker

Scott: 
*" The only negative I have about the product is the increase in DB level when running the vacuum. The Cyclone action of the duststopper causes quite the racket but then you can rest assured its working."*

I believe that you are incorrect on the noise level increase [DB] I just checked, with a [DB] meter my Ridgid shop vac *with and without the Dustopper*. 
With DustStopperit registered 82.7 db
Without DustStopper 84.4

To all others: Recently I obtained a DustStopper- Quality product - I will will be posting a very positive review-
Teaser- it is not a "Thein" seperator, exactly…
This is not my post 
*OFF MY WATCH*


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## Desert_Woodworker

*UPDATE- 14 Days of daily use*- this is a 5 star woodworking accessory, for quality, out of the box "plug and play" and all for $43
As for *Dust Stopper vs Dust Deputy- "plug and play"* out of the box comparison:
Dust Stopper + Home Depot bucket = $43
Dust Deputy (complete) $100 
I have both- They do equally well on collecting material into the bucket. I use both a filter bag ($) and canister filter, with both systems. 
*Results- I really like this product and recommend buying it. *
More posts coming, as I continue to use it…….


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## Hawaiilad

DW I have been reading all the posts here and I am happy to hear you have tried and like the product. I have never tried using a separator since I use the Sears bag system (not sure what it is called) on the planer, bandsaw and the joiner. I hate dragging the shop vac all around the shop so I have one large and two small vacs in the shop in different areas. And of course I hate cleaning the filters, so this might be something my shop needs. An easy pull around cart would work also I guess.


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## Desert_Woodworker

H- Yes, it is affordable and it works, better than I ever would have thought.


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## Hawaiilad

It seems buying the Hommer bucket at the same time would be a good idea.


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## Desert_Woodworker

> It seems buying the Hommer bucket at the same time would be a good idea.
> 
> - Hawaiilad


Orange Bucket 









I wanted to test it as shown, hence the orange bucket. 
I have not used other types of buckets with the Dust Stopper. I hope others can give us some additional feedback.
Also, I plan on "tricking it out" my Dust Stopper similar my Dust Deputy.









After reviewing both products- I would go with Dust Stopper/orange bucket $43


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## Green_Hornut

The Dust Deputy is made in the USA. Where is the Dustopper made? I can't find origin on any place I looked.


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## cmacnaughton

I bought this a couple of weeks ago. I use it attached to my vac for cleanup and I do attach it my RO sander. I bought the Dust stopper because I couldn't justify the price of the competitor on what is essentially my secondary dust collector. Performance-wise I love it. It works exactly as promised. It's primary initial drawback was it's lack of stability. On its own attached to a homer bucket, it tips very easily. Because my shop is small, I decided to wall-mount it and simply use a hose long enough to reach everywhere in my shop. I've seen a lot of ingenious cart solutions to fix the mobility issue as well.

I would not hesitate to recommend this product.


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