This may seem like a weird question but here it goes.... I built myself a tumbler to clean my brass with. It seems to work pretty good, but im not sure if its vibration enough to really give the brass that like new look. My brass just sort of sits in the media and doesnt tumble around at all. They will, over time, move slightly throughout the media but for the most part the cases will just sit in one place and the media will will simply vibrate all around them. I guess my question is this- how does a tumbler such as Midway's 1292 tumblers seem to work? Do the cases "tumble" throughout the media or do they sit still with the media vibrating around them? Im thinking of getting a tumbler if i feel they will clean the cases better and faster than the one i built. Just need some input.

I can't anser your question, but I'm quite intorested in how you made the tumbler.

You may have yours like this but hear me out.
Your tumbler needs to be a bowl mounted to an electric motor. The shaft of the motor will be vertical and pointing to the ground. Then use a counter wheight to get your viberation a 1"X 3/8 bar 3" long will do put a hole in one end and mount it to the shaft this is your counter weight. Now the brass should roll over and rotate at the same time.
It will roll faster then it rotates. If it doesn't put your hands on the out side of the bowl and try to hold it in place you shoul see a change in patern of the media. If you do you need a lid, for some reason this make the brass roll more in the bowl.
Kerry