J. Phil Thien's Projects

UPDATE:  I took it back and got a different part.  It's MUCH better!
Thanks

So I just got home with my 1st Dust Collector, A Harbor Freight 2HP.  While unboxing I see this: (first 2 images).  I did manage to bend it all back into place.  It's much better, but it's not smooth, nor are the conical pans edges sealed well to the sides (2nd two images)

Question is: Can I seal the whole edge with caulk and live with this warped conical pan?  Will this effect the performance?  Or is this a deal breaker?  I plan on adding a pre-separator in the future.

Thanks!

PS  I have no experience with dust collectors.
I plan on adding a pre-separator in the future.
This would be a pain to return, and the stores around here are out of them.