I recently became interested in Archimedes Screws. So I figured that I would look up some information. It turns out that information is pretty spread out on the web. I suppose there is plenty of info in books somewhere (library, maybe). But my first stop is the internet. Here's what I found so far...I hope to update this post as I learn more.

Application

• The Archimedes screw was used as the original design for ship propellers.
• Wiki Info on Propellers
• Wikipedia also has lots of great posts about the use of the Archimedes screw in it's applications moving water for irrigation & drinking water - search for it.

• In the design of propellers, people found that the less turns the screw makes, the more efficient the screw is at pulling through the water.
• Watercraft tech posts from patentpending See especially the posts on Ericson's propeller from John Fitch used on early submarines and the post on the Turtle, a submarine used during the American Revolutionary War. I particularly like the Turtle (pictured), mostly because I had a dream one night about a submarine. When I woke up I sketched out something that looked very similar.

Design

• A makezine post about making an archimedes screw on the cheap using offset pieces of wooden planks mounted to a central shaft..

Formulas

• Finding the Inner Diameter given an outer diameter and the flight of a screw. The forum also provides tips on building test screws (such as making them out of cardboard). Although, the information is very badly written and a little hard to understand. Plus, the formula given isn't really very good (I don't think).
• Here is an article about a guy named Rorres who worked out the most geometrically efficient screw design.

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