This was a really good thread about glass compatibility with regards to coe and viscosity. Even now that we've been using the furnace glass frits for several years with other coe's, I don't think everyone fully understands
why they work. This explains some of it.
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=64967
I think I remember a previous thread getting rather heated, and it was deleted, but this one, while not everyone agreed, stayed fairly civil.
And one of the best tips I could give someone just coming into this is to relax and slow down. Pick something and learn it well (or at least give it a fair shot), then move on to the next thing. I see so many people in such a hurry to learn everything all at once, and then they get frustrated that they can't seem to do things the way they want to. It takes time and practice, (and a lot of it)! Don't be discouraged by the things you can't do on the first (or tenth) try. Learning to do something well is going to take time.