What is a dressing tool used for?

• A. refacing or sharpening a grinding stone
• B. polishing welds
• C. smoothing welds
• D. removing rust

Answer: (A)

A dressing tool is used to recondition a grinding wheel by removing glaze and clogged material, breaking down the bond to expose fresh abrasive grains, and trueing the wheel’s surface. This keeps the wheel cutting effectively and prevents overheating or dull finishes. That’s why it’s described as refacing or sharpening a grinding stone—the tool restores the wheel so it can grind properly again. Polishing or smoothing welds and removing rust are done with other finishing or cleaning tools, not with a dressing tool. In practice, you dress a wheel when it becomes loaded or glazed to restore its cutting action.