How did they join this do you think?

[Alex Shiells]

Okay so I am basically tearing into every piece of furniture that I can find to see how it is constructed and joined in my aim of self improvement.

 

So I have been looking at my coffee table that was imported from Indonesia. The whole thing is basically frame and panel construction with a small twist that the panel is sitting flush with the face of the frame. 

 

How did they join this? The only thing that I can think of is that the frame has a rabbet and so does the panel so that the panel can sit flush with the face of the frame. I am not sure if they would go through all this effort with mass producing a piece of furniture? 

 

I have drawn that I think it must look like. Any other ideas here?

 

[Don Clark]

My guess would be either dowels, biscuits or floating tennons (ie, dominos).

[justin waldron]

I would agree with don on how that was joined.  I make doors with stub tenons, but I can't see the top of the door and that would tell if that was how it was joined.

[Alex Shiells]

There are no tell tale signs on the edges which makes be believe that it is a type of Tenon or biscuit joint. I was more wondering if there are any other ways that you can put in the panel into the frame to have it sit flush with the face of the frame.

[antkn33]

Can you tell how thick the panel is? Perhaps it has a rabbet and the tongue is in a dado on the frame.

[mo khan]

Yeah it looks like a rabbet and a tongue.