Mystery Wires Connection - Electromagnet from 2008

[russwr]

What is this stranded copper wires thing sticking out from black electrical tape? Comments needed. I thought it was a THIRD wire going to resistor to ground to operate battery DC electromagnet, that was snipped off. A wire cut usually cuts through insulation + wire same time. A connection has to go to ground to operate the coil. The red + gray wire has ends insulation removed and then covered with spiral wrap black electrical tape. With meticulously careful wrapping of tape, I don't see how a section could be overlooked as just 2 wires only. The whole assembly was pulled up from its base holder after the other ends were disconnected. - (2) #12 copper solid , #14 gray stranded, and one end #14 Red stranded. Do you still think that the tape width could hold 3 bare #14 wires? Do you think that the copper colored strands are actually part of the RED wire , and when the unit was pulled up, the red wire was still there, and pulled out of the tape, AND THEN SNIPPED OFF?