Abstract: The apparatus and process of a hydraulic press (20) for molding or forming an article, which apparatus has a frame (21) with a top unit (22) and a base unit (23) interconnected to the top unit (22); a slide (28) adapted to have an upper half (38) of a mold attached thereto; first hydraulic device (31) interconnected between the top unit (22) and the slide (28) for controllably moving the slide (28) vertically relative to the frame (21); a bed (36) fixed on the frame (21) and adapted to have a lower half (37) of the mold attached thereto, the lower mold half (37) adapted to have an article to be molded placed therein; second hydraulic device (39) connected to said top unit (22) and including at least one elongated ram (41), the second device (39) controllably moving the ram (41) vertically relative to the slide (28) and releasably lockable to the ram (41 ) at any predetermined location lengthwise of the ram (41), the positioning being incrementally variable, whereby vertical movement of the ram (41) is transmi