I'm looking for a cheap solution to a workbench top for a mix of power tools and handwork. I will mount a face vice and one row of dog holes for clamping, with future expansion possible.
The cheapest thing I could find is ash @ $2.41/BF (no Southern Yellow Pine out here in the desert). What do you think about using a laminate-covered section of particle board countertop? How would the dog holes hold up? Any concerns about flatness? (of course I couldn't plane it flat like a hardwood top). Will it accept the bolt holes for attaching the vise?