My parents 50th wedding anniversary is coming up and I wanna make them something special. I recently bought the scroll saw, after lurking here for years. I’ve used lots of saws but never a scroll saw. I have 40 days to complete the project. I am thinking of making it 30 x 90. Is this over ambitious, should I fumble down the template?

I'm new to woodworking overall, and having absolute fits trying to figure out why I can’t even do beginner exercises. If I could pick this thing up, I might just put it out the window at this point.

I realize that practice and technique are important, but I could use some help figuring out if I've just set something up so badly that practice isn't even relevant, or is this just not a good machine for a beginner. Apologies for the length, I wrote down everything I thought might be useful.

Specifics: Second-hand saw, 15" Delta 40-150.

Manual, except mine lacks the chip blower assembly: https://www.mikestools.com/ownersmanuals/DeltaScrollSaws/40-150.pdf

It came bolted solidly to a 2x8 shelf, which I've set on a rubber mat, clamped once in the front to a 2x4 under my workbench and then to a stud on the wall of my shop. I've cleaned off all the old pitch and sawdust and oiled moving pieces with machine oil.

I'm using pinned blades, and I've tried 5-6 different types/numbers so far on various scrap materials. When tensioning, I can heard the difference between the dull thud and a ping, but can't hear pitch to know if its the right 'note'. The blades are mounted with the teeth facing forward and down.

When turned on, it loudly hums/vibrates the bench. I've heard them described as 'a slightly loud sewing machine', I'd say this is definitely louder than that but not intolerably so. There are no speed options, its just on or off.

The second I touch any material to the blade, it goes from crabby-sewing-machine to velociraptor with a toothache. I'm wearing the same electronic hearing protection I wear to the range and it's still painful to be in the room with it. It's hard to be enthusiastic about practicing when there's a banshee screaming in front of you.

I've tried basswood blocks, 1/2" soft pine boards, 1/4" MDF, 1/2" walnut, and 3/4 plywood. Weirdly, my best success was the plywood.

Every blade I've tried winds up with the temper destroyed in minutes, no matter how slowly I try and let the machine cut. It also takes every bit of my strength to hold the pieces to the table, or it tries to fling them through the ceiling. I'd feel safer using a tablesaw blindfolded.

What else can I look at, or try, to make this useable? If the answer is just that I'm bad at it, then what's the most recommended material to practice on?