question about supports for top shelf

Abter

I'm still noodling about a simple table for my medium egg.  One thing has me wondering.

While there are a lot of plans online, as well as some pics and descriptions of a great many others, a lot of the simpler plans are fairly similar to the table plans at BGE (see bottom for link to the "official" BGE table plans).

Many of the tables similar to the BGE plans use 1x6 boards for the top shelf with 1/4" gaps between them for drainage.  These plans show the top shelf having a cross brace near the middle of the top shelf (offset to accommodate the egg hole) . That cross brace would certainly be adequate to support the long shelf boards going from the egg hole to the far end of the table.

But the plans, and many pictures, show that the hole creates a series of very short boards (between 6" and 12" long??).  These short table top boards are only attached to the frame in one place: screwed into the main joist (?) at the end of the table. 

My question: is that a good idea for the short boards?  It hardly seems like a couple of screws towards the end of a short board are going to create a table top there with any strength.  I could understand it if you made a solid top by connecting the boards solidly together (e.g., using biscuits and glue), but with separate shelf boards?

Here is a picture of one such table clearly showing the single line of screws holding in the short boards. (picture is from Scott Moore's A-plan table, at http://www.scottmoore.net/projects/egg/. He makes the top out of 1x4s, but they are not connected, and have a gap between them.    I like this basic plan a lot, and if I build a table it will probably be a lot like this one ).


Link to BGE's table plans for a large
I don't think these plans are still on the BGE website.  I suspect that now that BGE is selling two wooden tables they may have decided not to give plans away.  The original BGE plans for a large and a medium are widely available on the web though.  Here is one link to download a PDF (a very long, messy link...but it works!)
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwjTk4-x6JPLAhWKJR4KHdTjB9IQFggfMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biggreenegg.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F11%2FBGE-TP-MEDIUM.pdf&usg=AFQjCNF73apfknIjcIWUIoVS6ldKFw-4Jw&sig2=fA7QBnh98mjsg4pUCjSAJQ&cad=rja

1move

Those are held in by glue and pretty much two deck screws on each board. Have you ever tried pulling out a small piece off with two deck screws holding it in? You are just ever thinking it and I bet on the bottom there is an L clamp holding them in place as well.

Abter

"You are just over thinking it"   Who, me !!! Overthink something???  My fishing buddies tell me that all the time    Usually followed by "shut up and fish".  My boss and wife also say that ....occasionally...although its not the most common way they refer to my thinking

Appreciate the comments!  thanks.