I used to make motors by hand. Cut some round discs out of tin can lids,
then cut them to a H pattern. Drill a hole in the middle, and use a 16d
nail for the shaft. Stack some together. Wind them with wire, and tape the
ends on the shaft so the rotating field could reverse with each rotation.
Make the outer windings using pieces of tin can. Powered, of course by one
of those six or eight inch tall two inch round diameter red batteries with
the round screw nuts on the top.

I had forgotten about that.

Steve