1997 DIAMOND Z 1260

Grinder runs and works great (despite its appearance). Overall straight grinder.

1997 Diamond Z 1260

5,840 hours on a 1997 Diamond Z 1260 — that’s roughly 210 hours per year, which is low use for a production tub grinder. That level of usage suggests less wear compared to machines that run daily in high-volume operations.

Who This Machine Is For

• Land clearing contractors — handles brush, timber, and stumps on job sites
• Recycling yards — processes wood waste into mulch or reusable material
• Forestry operations — built for grinding whole trees and dense material
• Operators needing production output — strong horsepower for steady grinding

What It Grinds

• Whole trees and large timber — tub design allows feeding oversized material directly
• Stumps — breaks down dense root systems into grindable material
• Brush and green waste — reduces volume for hauling or reuse
• Construction wood waste — processes pallets, lumber, and mixed debris

This is not a chipper. It uses hammers, so the output is ground material, not uniform chips.

Specs in Plain Language

This unit is powered by an 860HP CAT engine. That level of horsepower puts it in the production class, capable of handling large, dense material without constant slowdown.

With 5,840 hours over 28 years, you’re looking at about 210 hours per year. That’s relatively low usage for a tub grinder, especially compared to machines that operate daily in demanding environments.

The Diamond Z 1260 is known as a heavy-duty tub grinder. The open tub design allows operators to load large material without pre-processing, helping keep jobs moving efficiently on larger projects.

Because no additional extras are listed, buyers should evaluate overall condition and wear components such as the mill, bearings, and drive system. Maintenance history will play an important role in performance.

If you’re comparing options, you can also view other tub grinders or check horizontal grinders if your operation needs more controlled feeding.

Why Buy From GrinderCrusherScreen

We've been in the tub grinder business since 1973. We know these machines because we work in this industry every day. We can answer your questions about the 1260 before you buy, and we help with financing, coordinating inspections, and arranging transportation.

Got a tub grinder you need to sell? We handle the marketing, the calls, the tire kickers, and the transaction. It's free. You set your price, you get your price.

Call 770-433-2670 or email sales@grindercrusherscreen.com for pricing or details.