followers with the leadership feat

[khachaturian]

so... the cohort is what most people think about with the leadership feat, and it's probably bad form to put followers in a position of danger. does anyone have experience in how they have used followers, especially as related to crafting? my current plan is

4th level- sort of a major domo type who can manage the day to day operations when i'm not around

3rd level- human universalist wizard with the arcane crafter school focus
feats
W1. scribe scroll
H1. skill focus spell craft
1. extra traits- hedge wizard, arcane student
W3. craft wondrous item
3. cooperative crafting

2nd level- human transmuter wizard
feats
W1. scribe scroll
H1. cooperative crafting
1. prodigy (craft armor, craft weapons)

[atemu1234]

Most are put to use as housekeeps, or the PCs own a small city in which the cohorts live and work. Some, naturally, will be perfect for healers. Crafting nonmagical items and growing food is useful too.

[Vhaidara]

This is from a monstrous gestalt character who went into Thrallherd. He was a Colossal++ Flail Snail who had a village on his back, most of them addicted to the drugged water source in the middle of town, and run by his believers (Thrallherd followers). They were as follows
Believers:
25 Level 1 Experts
10 Level 1 Warriors
15 Level 1 Adepts
5 Level 1 Bards
3 Level 2 Rangers
1 Level 3 Druid
1 Level 3 Factotum
1 Level 4 Artificer

Believer breakdown
Experts
10 medical experts who run the hospital where people who have ODed on Oasis Water are taken to recover. (half elves)
10 Craftsmen of all kinds (4 dwarves, 3 gnomes, 2 elves, and a human)
1 Siege Engineer, just in case (Half-Orc)
1 Librarian (Knowledge Skills) [Grey Elf]
1 Housebreaker . Just in case (Grey Elf)
1 Chef (Halfling)
1 Sailor. Just in case (Aquatic Human)

Warriors
All guards, 5 with Longsword and Heavy Shield (Dwarves), 5 with bows (Elves)

Adepts
5 Medical experts, for when magical healing is needed (human)
5 Offensive experts, for basic magic combat (elves)
5 Utility, for protection spells and detection spells

Bards
1 Mimicking Song (Elf)
1 Spellbreaker Song (Human)
1 Half-Elf Bard (Racial sub) [child of first]
1 Gnome Bard (Racial Sub)
1 Bardic Knack (Gnome, married to racial sub]

Rangers
3 Archery focused, FE Undead/Construct/Animal, all Wild Elves

Druid: focused on providing food and water, Dream Dwarf

Factotum: Handyman. 1 point in every skill. Lesser Tiefling

Artificer: Makes stuff for the village. Warforged, with sub levels.