set up an ebb n flo table but keep the overflow flush with the bottom (so it doesn't build up any water) Place you pots of plants and medium in to the tray turn the drippers on and just let it run. That is probably the easiest way to recirculate a dripper system. depending on number of plants though it may not be large enough.

I posted a high-res pic of the thing. It seems pretty simple. I think you have to use hydroton pebbles or some kind of rocks to get it to drain properly. That's a lot of clay pebbles, or a lot of heavy gravel.

The square buckets for hydro are expensive. You could use round 5-gallon buckets. Old cat litter buckets are the only cheap square ones I know of. GH is also going to charge an arm and a leg for that plastic reservoir box that it sits on.

When you said you had problems with DWC, you meant you were blowing bubbles with an air pump, right? A recirculating DWC system uses a water pump. All you do is plumb together the buckets on the side at the bottom so that the water can flow between them. Then each bucket gets a water line flowing in from the top, and water pressure moves the flow of solution back to the pump. Everything is at the same level. You won't have to support the buckets above a reservoir, or buy all of those hydroton pebbles to fill the buckets.

Here are some RDWC systems for sale (most people just make their own): http://www.abergreen.co.uk/custom-hydroponics-standard-systems-c-94_119_79.html

Here is a link that might be useful:

It was suggested you could get square buckets for free from restaurants. Not sure what is packaged in them, but that may be worth a try.
If you drain back to the rez through an EnF table, you can use cheap 1 gallon nursery pots. Then simply fill them with lava rock. It's light like hydroton, but cheap like gravel. Plus you limit the potential for leaks and it's easy to swap or move your plants. you can build the table for probably $15. You'll spend a bit more on the liner (black heavy duty plastic), but you'll have enough to line 5 or 6 tables.