I adore this open-source 3D printed control dial, and it even has a fantastic name

You know, I have a real soft spot for open-source hardware that's also sold as a complete product. It gives you the best of both worlds: you can either make your own if you have the DIY moxie, or you can purchase one if you don't feel up to the task. Everyone wins.

One company in particular has been doing a great job of creating open-source hardware. It's called "Ploopy," and we've covered it in the past when we took a look at the Ploopy Trackpad. Well, the company is back with another product, and it's a scrollable control knob you can either buy or make. So, naturally, it's called the "Ploopy Knob." Yep. That's its name.

As spotted by The Verge, the Ploopy Knob, something I will not get tired of typing, has appeared on the official Ploopy store. Right now, it's in the pre-order phase, so you can't grab one immediately; however, you can put down $49.99 CAD (around $35 USD) for your very own.

Here's how Ploopy describes its product:

The Ploopy Knob is a 3D-printed, open-source rotary encoder. It runs QMK, has a high-precision sensor, and does high-resolution scrolling out-of-the-box for pixel-by-pixel scrolling precision. It’s fully assembled and ready to use immediately.

There are three tiers of pre-order for the Ploopy Knob: Early Access, Tier A, and Tier B. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, only the Tier B option is in stock, which means that any pre-orders will ship out "within 20 weeks" of the launch date of June 26th. So, you may have to wait up to five months for it to ship, but it's the earliest you can get one right now. When you purchase a Ploopy Knob this way, it comes fully assembled and with the proper firmware installed.

Of course, if you're feeling adventurous, you can make your own Ploopy Knob. That's the joy of open-source hardware: you can make or repair your own devices at home with the right parts. If you want to skip the wait time, head over to the Ploopy Knob GitHub page. It includes everything you need to make your own, including the 3D printing STL files, the documentation on how to build it, and instructions on how to order your own board from a bespoke board company.

If you like the idea of making your own office items, you're far from alone. There are plenty of ways you can 3D print your own office accessories and save yourself some money.