An apparatus for pressing a mass into a coherent workpiece has a mold body defining a chamber and a mold liner in the chamber having a generally cylindrical pressing surface centered on an axis, directed in one radial direction, and defining a mold cavity and an opposite surface directed in an opposite radial direction. A plunger is engageable axially in the cavity. The cavity holds the mass in engagement with the pressing surface and with the plunger. The plunger can be pressed axially against the mass and thereby compress the mass in the cavity. A force, typically effected hydraulically, is exerted against the liner in the one radial direction between the mold body and the opposite surface of the liner to thereby elastically deform the liner in the one radial direction toward the mass and radially compress the liner and mass in the cavity.