I just spent 3 months designing a mechanism with a huge torsion spring. Over-engineered, but it should have worked well for its purpose.

I just determined that I designed it backwards.

I made this realization after fabricating the parts, tuning it, installing it, and loading it up with 100 lbs of skull-splattering torque.

Sometimes you need to keep asking yourself the most simple questions before asking the harder ones.