Neal Bates

Check out the Alabama Forge Council site I've linked below. Their is a list of all the local forge council groups around the state on the Contact Us page. I was able to buy coal at the Phenix City forge in July and they may still have some available. It was $18 for a 50lb bag at the time. Their may also be a forge closer to you that has coal to sell. Call and see. Good luck! 

http://www.alaforge.org/

Rex,the tank probably is too small for blacksmithing,but if your son wants to make knives it should be plenty big for that. I just got a similar set up and I'm going to use a separate bucket of water for blacksmithing and the small tank will hold oil for quenching knives.

I've heard that it was common during the Civil War for Union Soldiers to break the horn off of anvils found in Confederate states to interfere with the making of horseshoes. Of course that would only apply to anvils found in the southern US for the most part.