simple as hell, about halfway down the page
killies.com :: View topic - DIY Chiller
he just buys a dorm fridge, pops 2-3 holes in it, feeds in some flex pvc line, coils it in a rubbermaid full of water (water xfers temps faster, think warm beer/soda placed in icechest full of ice and water vs. warm beer/soda in just a chest of ice, no water.)
he has a "small powerhead to circulate the water in the tub. Without this powerhead, there's a danger the water in the coiled hose can turn to ice. Circulating the water also ensures every inch of the hose is in contact with the cold water. Besides this, there's another very important piece of equipment too. It's the thermal plate underneath the hose. This is used for making ice in fridges. The thermal plate ensures the water inside the tub becomes very very cold. It isn't very clear in the picture but if you look closely, you should be able to see a white plate underneath the hose. "
imo, as long as the input to the freezer is constantly being circulated, it has about a 0% chance to "turn to ice", so the power head isnt as essential as it is purported to be. still usefull tho
chills his large fish tank to the point that it has condensation all over it, as seen in the pics, and alot cheaper than 420+$ polar bear or active aqua. you could probably build this thing for ~ 150$ maybe 200 if you spring for a more expensive bar fridge instead of a dorm model.