They can make great project boxes.
Now, I'm not suggesting, or advocating the destruction of a complete functional unit here, just giving some ideas,...
I found this radiogram cabinet on CL. It is an Art-Deco cabinet that I found a built date on of March 1932
I went and bought it, despite it being in a crazed cat hoarders house, with an indoor population of feral cats.
When I got it, it was filled with cat kibble, and had been used as a nesting box. IT smelled like cat piss, and had urine stains on the grill cloth.
The tonearm literally tracked at 8 ounces (typical is 1.5->3grams or under 1/8 ounce), with steel needles. The TT was hand wound, and needed to be wound between discs. The integrated tube/radio amplifier has shorted out, and smoked the circuit traces.
Mine: perfect candidate for a resto-mod.
I stripped it of its components, gutted it out, used a biological urine cleaner (that totally worked), and I started looking towards a refitting with more "modern" components.
I cannot tell you how many people turned against this project,.... "Oh, no,... you're going to destroy a piece of audio history",... blah blah blah. Ultimately, these same people came to celebrate the end result when it was presented.
I knew I was going to do a project like this; So, for two years prior, I had been purchasing components, but not really sure how it was all going to work out, come together. I kept searching for a candidate cabinet.
My components were of mostly professional radio broadcast gear of the early 50's, and an early HarmanKardon mono integrated tube amp (mid-50's model).
The TT is by Presto Recording Corp of Paramus NJ. Presto was the worlds leading radio broadcast gear manufacturer. THe tonearm is early General Electric radio arm, and the arm has its desgined for cartridge, the GE RPX Triple-Play (33/45/78 on turn-around cantilever), and the GE VRII, as well as a vintage Stanton cartridge and various era proper styl (1mil and 3mil)i.
I now call her Audrey, my dedicated mono console.
She has a modern coaxial onboard speaker in the cabinet. But, I also run her on an early 50's General Electric A1-400 coaxial corner speaker (corner speaker in last image below. Under the Ink Spots LP cover)
These can make wonderful project boxes.