Finding TDC

Recently learned a new trick from a mechanic friend & thought I'd share:
Others may already be on to this but it was new for me.
Finding TDC is a snap, but finding it on compression stroke without pulling the valve cover can be tricky. I recently pulled my distributor to replace the gasket, cleaned it up and lost my marks. This helped.......
Pull #1 plug and "thread" on a piece of rubber hose. I used some 1/4" with teflon tape wrapped around it for a good seal. On the other end of the hose I taped on a balloon.
Using a 3/4" socket on the main pulley, I turned the crank until the balloon filled with air. Voila- compression stroke. Moved it to TDC, pointed the rotor to #1 plug on cap and dropped in the distributor.
Easy peasy.

Neat trick, but I know of an easier, cheaper way- pull #1 plug and just cover the hole with your finger. Turn the engine over, either with a ratchet or a remote starter switch until your finger gets blown off the hole. Congratulations, you're now on the compression stroke. Rotate the engine clockwise until your timing marks line up and drop your distributor in. Done. Using a ratchet to turn the engine over while covering the hole is a bit of a yoga act, but I was able to do it on mine the other day.