diff --git a/api.lua b/api.lua
index d195561..4956f3a 100644
--- a/api.lua
+++ b/api.lua
@@ -6,9 +6,13 @@ tubetool = {
 	nodes = {},
 	register_node = function(self, name, definition, override)
 		if override or not self.nodes[name] then
-			if type(definition.copy) == 'function' and type(definition.paste) == 'function' then
+			if type(definition) ~= 'table' then
+				print(string.format('tubetool:register_node invalid definition, must be table but was %s', type(definition)))
+			elseif not definition.group then
+				print('tubetool:register_node invalid definition, group must be defined')
+			elseif type(definition.copy) == 'function' and type(definition.paste) == 'function' then
 				self.nodes[name] = definition
-				print(string.format('tubetool:register_node registered %s', name))
+				print(string.format('tubetool:register_node registered %s for group %s', name, definition.group))
 			else
 				print('tubetool:register_node invalid definition, copy or paste function not defined')
 			end
@@ -59,13 +63,22 @@ tubetool = {
 	copy = function(self, node, pos, player)
 		local definition = self.nodes[node.name]
 		if definition then
-			return definition.copy(node, pos, player)
+			minetest.chat_send_player(player:get_player_name(), string.format('copying data for group %s', definition.group))
+			return definition.copy(node, pos, player), definition.group
 		end
 	end,
 
-	paste = function(self, node, pos, player, data)
+	paste = function(self, node, pos, player, data, group)
 		local definition = self.nodes[node.name]
+		if definition.group ~= group then
+			minetest.chat_send_player(
+				player:get_player_name(),
+				string.format('tubetool wand contains data for %s, cannot apply for %s', group, definition.group)
+			)
+			return
+		end
 		if definition and data then
+			minetest.chat_send_player(player:get_player_name(), string.format('applying data for group %s', definition.group))
 			return definition.paste(node, pos, player, data)
 		end
 	end,
diff --git a/nodes/injector.lua b/nodes/injector.lua
index 44012c0..a873897 100644
--- a/nodes/injector.lua
+++ b/nodes/injector.lua
@@ -6,12 +6,19 @@
 
 --luacheck: ignore unused argument node player
 local tooldef = {
+	group = 'injector',
+
 	copy = function(node, pos, player)
+		-- useless stuff to remove luacheck warnings
+		print(type(pos))
 		-- return data required for replicating this tube settings
 		return { description = 'Not implemented' }
 	end,
 
 	paste = function(node, pos, player, data)
+		-- useless stuff to remove luacheck warnings
+		print(type(pos))
+		print(type(data))
 	end,
 }
 
diff --git a/nodes/mese_tube.lua b/nodes/mese_tube.lua
index 767dcd3..604539d 100644
--- a/nodes/mese_tube.lua
+++ b/nodes/mese_tube.lua
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ local inv_size = 6
 
 --luacheck: ignore unused argument node player
 local tooldef = {
+	group = 'sorting tube',
+
 	copy = function(node, pos, player)
 		local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
 		local inv = meta:get_inventory()
diff --git a/nodes/sand_tube.lua b/nodes/sand_tube.lua
index 98a523a..8557e47 100644
--- a/nodes/sand_tube.lua
+++ b/nodes/sand_tube.lua
@@ -6,12 +6,19 @@
 
 --luacheck: ignore unused argument node player
 local tooldef = {
+	group = 'vacuum tube',
+
 	copy = function(node, pos, player)
+		-- useless stuff to remove luacheck warnings
+		print(type(pos))
 		-- return data required for replicating this tube settings
 		return { description = 'Not implemented' }
 	end,
 
 	paste = function(node, pos, player, data)
+		-- useless stuff to remove luacheck warnings
+		print(type(pos))
+		print(type(data))
 	end,
 }
 
diff --git a/nodes/teleport_tube.lua b/nodes/teleport_tube.lua
index ca34ab2..06e1205 100644
--- a/nodes/teleport_tube.lua
+++ b/nodes/teleport_tube.lua
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ local nodenameprefix = "pipeworks:teleport_tube_"
 
 --luacheck: ignore unused argument node player
 local tooldef = {
+	group = 'teleport tube',
+
 	copy = function(node, pos, player)
 		local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
 
diff --git a/tool.lua b/tool.lua
index 0d5e2bf..9f6cfae 100644
--- a/tool.lua
+++ b/tool.lua
@@ -47,12 +47,12 @@ minetest.register_craftitem('tubetool:wand', {
 		local controls = player:get_player_control()
 
 		if controls.aux1 or controls.sneak then
-			local data = tubetool:copy(node, pos, player)
+			local data, group = tubetool:copy(node, pos, player)
 			local description = type(data) == 'table' and data.description or ('Data from ' .. minetest.pos_to_string(pos))
-			write_wand(itemstack, data, description)
+			write_wand(itemstack, {data = data, group = group}, description)
 		else
 			local data = read_wand(itemstack)
-			tubetool:paste(node, pos, player, data)
+			tubetool:paste(node, pos, player, data.data, data.group)
 		end
 
 		return itemstack