Abstract: In a straight side press having a bed, a reciprocal slide, a power drive for the slide and apparatus for feeding a stock strip into the dies, the improvement of modifying the press to function as a transfer press by replacing the conventional die set with a plurality of longitudinally spaced sequential dies upon a die shoe secured to the bed to define a series of stations. A plurality of corresponding sequential punches are mounted upon a die shoe secured to the slide, and a pair of slide bars are reciprocally mounted upon the bed outwardly of the dies mounting pairs of opposed workpiece gripping fingers adapted for engagement with the respective workpieces at each station. A slide bar translator is mounted upon a sub-plate and has a reciprocal end plate connected to the slide bars for transferring the workpieces from station to station. The translator is adapted for alternately moving the slide bars towards and away from each other.