Hi Bill,
I bought my first Leigh Jig maybe ten years ago. I was impressed by the fact that one could alter the spacing of tails and pins to begin with, which was a big plus for the hand-tooled look. I saw the video and I decided I would try the jig. I never regretted the decision.
I admit, the next thing I bought was a second router and a spare set of Leigh guide bushes, so I didn't have to fuss about changing bits, between cutting pins and tails.
The next fuss was changing the orientation of cutting, from the the left to the right side of the jig. This I solved by flipping the finger template, to transfer the settings to another work piece on the opposing end of the jig. Then by flipping the fingerplate again, I could set the fingers to the marks and cut on the right hand side of the jig.
(Today I have the luxury of two Leigh Jigs, each set up accordingly, to save downtime. The second jig I bought on eBay.)
The next challenge was finding other things the jig could do.
1) It could definitely cut dovetail housing joints as it was designed to do this.
2) Becuase of this, I reasoned it could also cut stub tenons, if I used a straight cutter in place of a dovetail cutter. Also it could cut wide cross-grain dadoes by the same method.
Using a long reach straight cutter, I could also trim end-grain on boards almost up to the full width of the jig, and at 90 degrees. In this case, the bush size didn't matter, as the amount of material to be removed depends on the setting of the cross-cut bar. Add some scrap pieces at each side of the work piece, to avoid splintering out. (If you were to trim end grain first, even this might not matter, as you could plane and clean-up long edges afterwards.
By using a shop-made register piece, made from timber, I could also cut repeated dadoes across a work piece, if I wanted to make a unit with multiple shelves, for instance. All this is done with the use of the cross-cut bar.
I could also make dowel joints, if I set the fingers properly, in conjunction with an appropriate cutter.
Ramon Weston, in Wiltshire, UK, devised a jig that enabled the jig to cut finger joints. Of course this has been superseded by the finger-joint template that Leigh now produces. (At a cost!). So to cut finger joints, I use Ramon's idea. I haven't heard from Ramon for a while, so I don't know if he is still active, but I can find details of the jig he devised,.
My own ideas were published in the UK magazine 'Routing' (Now defunct). Given time I could locate them and take copies. However I do need time, as for a week or so I am in the throes of a family member moving out to her own accommodation!
I am continually thinking of ways I can use the Leigh, for tasks other than dovetailing and I firmly believe it is a 'Woodwork Techno-centre', if approached correctly. I agree it would be hard to produce mortises, in a rounded leg, but then I can do that in a drill-press using a vee-block. Agreed? I am considering writing a book (maybe an eBook) on the basic Leigh Jig 'revisited'. Who knows? It could help others.
I will ruminate some more and think of anything else I can add. Okay Bill?
For now, have a good Holiday and enjoy your woodworking.
John (UK)