Present work aimed at developing, testing and operating a prototype free end torsion machine for performing torsion tests and checking linear strain in test specimens. The self developed free end torsion machine was used to measure and compute numerical prediction of the Swift effect, i.e. the lengthening of the cylinder during the torsion. The equipment consists of a horizontal torsion machine composed of worm gear, spur gear, bearings, hand wheel, shaft, base plate, column, measuring instruments, chuck mechanism and test specimen. An encoder obtains the torsion angle. Experimental tests were carried out at a constant angular speed that imposed a constant shear strain rate to the test specimen. The torsion tests have been performed on ductile materials -copper and aluminium. The influence of texture evolution was analyzed. Predicted axial lengthening and predicted textures were compared to experimental measurements. A good agreement was obtained between the obtained results.