Custom Refrigerator

So, I'm coming up with some plans for a fermentation box for my basement. My basement is cold so should only need a heating element but I was thinking about building in cooling for the ability to lager. So that got me thinking, next I'm going to do a chest freezer conversion... I thought, why can't i just build a custom refrigerator for my kegs and bottles. Has anyone done this and is it possible to get close to efficient as a commercial chest freezer?

any tips, ideas would be great.

Here is a great page of info for what you want to do. My keezer is too small so I am working on converting my old garage stand up box for that.

Thanks for the link, i was actually thinking of the opposite... building a large box out of wood and insulation and attaching a condenser from a refrigerator.

Check out this thread I started where I did just what you want, only maybe on a smaller scale. mini-fridge-total-dissection-photo-story There is no reason one couldn't do the same thing with a full size freezer or fridge. I think my new set up is actually more efficient than the original as I have thicker insulation and I improved the air movement over the heat exchanger portion.

I have too been thinking about doing this. The main benefit being that I will be able to throw in as much insulation as possible. There is also the option of building a large insulated box as you are saying and putting an air conditioner in it. This will be easier and cheaper (craigslist) then tearing a fridge apart.

What I have been thinking is make 2 seperate containers one on top one on bottom. Since heat rises you can do ales on top and lagers on bottom. put the majority of cooling into the bottom and have fans pushing air into the upper chamber with their own controller