This section is from the book "The Boy Mechanic Vol. 2 1000 Things for Boys to Do", by Popular Mechanics Co.. Also available from Amazon: The Boy Mechanic, Vol2: 1000 Things for Boys to Do.
The rotary tuner shown in the sketch was designed by a correspondent of Modern Electrics. The circle is cut from 3/4-in. stock, 1 in. wide and well covered with insulating material. It is then wound with No. 24 single cotton-covered copper wire so that the coils will lie flat. All the arms are of 1/4-in. square brass. The supports are smaller in section. Sliders are mounted on the ends of the long arms and are kept in place by setscrews.
The insulation on the wire is removed with a small piece of sandpaper pasted on a block of wood. This should be temporarily fastened to the revolving lever at the point where the contact is wanted, then the lever is turned until the insulation is removed. The wiring diagram shows the location of the tunina: coil in the line.
 
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