I have a question. In the original technique book on the Waltz it says 3/8 of a turn over the three steps. This has always been debatable. The new book says 1/2 a turn followed by 1/8 which is still 3/8. My question is. Are the feet together at the beginning of beat 3 high on the toes having completed the 1/2 turn. And then to lower on an and count to complete the 1/8 of a turn releasing the mans left and ladies right keeping the heel off the floor.. If this is so it means that the second step is not taken to face against the L.O.D.

1/2 a turn followed by 1/8 is 5/8, unless the direction of turn switches between the steps. What 'new' technique book, and for that matter, whose are you counting as the 'original'? There are lots of technique books, although none that I know of suggest anything quite so strange...

1-3 of a natural turn is usually described as commencing to turn on 1 (with body turn beginning through the use of CBM, but no significant turn in the feet), so RF moves fwd; followed by LF swinging fwd, then swivelling to complete 1/4 to R, the feet ending LF to side and with feet parallel; and then RF closes to LF as the turn is completed (1/8), making 3/8 overall, to end backing LOD. The rise pattern varies slightly, between dance styles (the natural turn being common to several), but you are 'up' on toes as the feet close, before lowering into the next step.

Now I am confused. I have the original official Technique Book by Alex Moore which He compiled for the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in 1936 and for many years was considered the Bible of Modern Ballroom Dancing. I am reading from it now.
The first three steps of a Natural Turn in the Waltz. Quote. " Amount of turn. Make three eighths of a turn on each three steps ". End of Quote. How can that be. Tell me if I am wrong. Thats nine eighths of a turn. Surely it should have read 3/8 on the first 3/8 on the second and the third step is not a step but a drawing together of the feet. No wonder it has been altered. As suggested I have been looking on
You Tube I can see that they are not all the way around on step two. I will quote again from the old book. Quote Step 2. Long step to the side with the Left foot across the L.O.D. End of Quote.That probably means the foot and not the body which is still arriving Dancing is not a Science. It is an Art. Some things cant be written. We must realize that the body keeps moving and would not come to a dead step at the end of every alignment which is given. So lets look and see how the Champions do it.

Natural turns consist of man & lady dancing alternate outside and inside turn actions over three steps. The turn is 3/8 over each group of three steps: simple.

Later texts (the earliest I have is a battered copy of The Revised Technique, first published in 1948) gave the amount of turn step by step, and all the leading teaching society's basic techniques agree that the outside turn commences on 1, continues with 1/4 between 1-2 and 1/8 between 2-3.

That the last 1/8 of turn occurs between steps 2 & 3 answers the point you mentioned in your first post.