Abstract: A compression molding apparatus includes a female mold half which receives a charge of molten plastic and a cooperating male plunger which compression molds the molten plastic into an article within the female mold half. A slide mold part is located between the male plunger and the female mold half. The slide mold part includes left and right slide mold halves which when brought into juxtaposition, define a central mold space. The left and right mold halves are slidable toward and away from each other, to form the central mold space and to open the central mold space respectively. The male portion is reciprocated downwardly to undertake the compression molding, and a cam mechanism is activated by the reciprocation to close the slide mold part during compression molding. The return stroke opens the slide mold part to allow removal of the molded article without stripping or unscrewing the molded article from the slide mold part.