I want to build a stand-alone wine cabinet with interior dimensions roughly 2' x 2' x 6' high (.6m x .6m x 1.8m).

I did a search of the threads on this site but did not come across anything on wine cabinets/cellars.

For construction of the basic cabinet, I'm thinking of using 2'x4's, R-13 insulation, plastic vapour barrier and either galvanized steel or sealed, moisture resistant MDF. One of the objectives in building a wine cabinet is to avoid vibration. MDF is frequently used for stereo speakers because it is accoustically dead. My thinking is that MDF, if the problem of humidity/moisture can be addressed, might also be suitable for a wine cabinet.

I would like to maintain a temperature of about 12 to 15 degrees Celsius/54 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit. Commericial wine cabinets tend to be either true refrigerators or cabinets containing what are essentially small air conditioning units. I would be interested to know what the difference is, and what kind of unit would be suitable for this application. I have also come across one unit, made by Dometic/Electrolux, that apparently does not use a compressor, although it is not clear to me how it works (http://www.silentcellar.com/technical.htm).

Are there practical ways to isolate vibration from a compressor from the rest of a cabinet, or at least to dampen it?

I should add that I have no problem with hiring a refrigeration professional in my area to provide advice on this. At the moment, I'd just like to get a sense of what the issues are and what I need to think about.

I'd also be curious to know whether I can just buy a second-hand refrigerator, tweak the thermostat to get higher than usual fridge temperatures and somehow dampen vibration.

Comments greatly appreciated.