>Are the press fitting tools that come down from the press and that press
>things supposed to be attached to the face of the press as it lowers? I cannot
> see any way to do this.

Nope, just line 'em up good!

>
>How are they protected from side to side slipping?

        The bits you push with must be made properly, turned on a lathe, and 
have FLAT and Square (90 degrees) ends. They won't tip since you are pushing 
straight along their axis. Keep them as short as possible. Good support 
plates, those wierd pieces with conveniently shaped cutouts to hold your 
axle mounts say, are the real key. It's usually the part that's resting 
crookedly, not the plunger. Keep the plates/pushers as grease free as 
possible, sticking friction is your friend in keeping pieces for entering 
your frontal lobes at high speed.
        25 tons is a helluva lot of power, it'll break most components if 
not decently seated flat. Press fit parts tend to stick due to coldwelding 
when assembled, by applying some modest load then a 'smart' rap with a 
hammer you can often loosen things that would otherwise take a large amount 
of hydraulic pressure. There is no real feedback on a hydraulic press, so 
you can get very high loads rapidly without feeling it. The PSI gauge is 
just numbers. I prefer a bench mounted screwpress with a large hand wheel. I 
can feel the load applied, and the ease of motion when it starts, as well as 
when it hangs up. I've used these for ball joints in front arms etc., and no 
seals to leak!
        Any chance to get the VW bits and pieces with the press? Worth their 
weight in gold!!  or..
        Find a surplus metal dealer, and get some good flat stock in various 
thickness to make base blocks up from, let them do the cutting/finishing. 
Keep the stacking to a minimum, the more layers the greater the chance of 
something slipping. 1/2 inch Lexan will stop most of the heavy traffic BTW.  
 tim s.