Hi I'm new to blacksmithing and starting college this September to study it.   As my first assignment though I've been asked to discuss the safe and efficient use of solid fuel forges particularly coal, something else the teacher referred to as "range buster"  coal,  and coke.  He also wanted info on the sand bed and stuff but I'm really struggling to find any information on why things are being used and also the safe use surrounding it.  Asking for help from anyone possible! 

Many thanks in advance. 

Blatant copy/paste from the esteemed JHCC:  "Welcome aboard! Couple of bits of advice: 

1. [P]ut your location in your profile. Good! This will not only help area smiths connect with you, but also affects questions about availability of materials, pricing of supplies, etc, etc.

2. Before asking any question, do your research! There is a HUGE amount of information on IFI, and almost any question you can think of has probably been asked before. Learning how to navigate the forum to find the answers you need is an important skill in its own right. (Pro tip #1: the pinned posts at the top of each subsection are always informative and helpful. Pro tip #2: the search feature in IF isn't particularly good; instead, do a Google search for what you want and include "iforgeiron" as a search term.)

(2a. A word of warning: some of the most knowledgeable members of IFI are also some of the crankiest curmudgeons you'll ever hope to meet, and they are sick to death of having to answer the same uninformed basic questions time and time again. Everyone here is a volunteer, and you have the chance to get solid, practical advice from smiths with all manner of experience and skill. Respect their time and expertise.)

3. When you do ask a question, be specific! Informed and specific questions will get you good answers.

4. Read the threads on getting started in blacksmithing. Think about the kind of work you want to do, and research that. (Warning: many of the older posts lost their illustrations in a software debacle a little while back. The text is still good.) Read about what other people are doing. Think about what tools you have, what tools you need, and what tools you can make. Don't get too fancy too fast. Don't give up."

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Read all these first :  http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/64-solid-fuel-forges/ & then ask detailed questions.  Might save a back-side paddling.....

 

lol first page of results when I started my research on my plumpton l3 smithing course is another class mate asking for assistance on the same essay. As regards to our essay I believe that he is asking for brief research on the solid fuels mentioned and which would suit various applications. I would imagine that the rest is merely stating common sense such as don't leave your fuel too close to the forge, keep clear path ways have tools to hand but not so close as to clutter the work space stuff like that. I could be wrong but a first assignment is unlikely to be anything too in depth. I could, however, be entirely wrong as like you I don't reeally have a clue what I'm doing  
G

Yea I've emailed him and I have it all sorted out now! Didn't need to be as detailed or as technical as I was making it lol