Hey RVM, I read the thread and of all the suggestions that were offered i didn't see my favorite. I use a sheet of 1/2" wallboard (brand name "Sheetrock") to top the work surface. It accepts straight pins and is a great surface to work from in that it is forgiving about spilled glue, paint, oil, thinner, what-have-you. It will soak in and wipe flat when you clean it up before it dries. Even after it dries you can pop it off with a putty knife and the surface is only fuzzy where the paper released the lump. The BEST thing is tha a sheet is around $6-7 each and a new top is just on the other side!!! Just filp it over. BTW you can drill into it as well if you need to and then fill the whole, or not, your choice. Speaking of fillers I use light spackle from Home Depot. Works great and cost little...