diff --git a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_cauldrons/api.lua b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_cauldrons/api.lua
index 52b87267e..00e4b032a 100644
--- a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_cauldrons/api.lua
+++ b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_cauldrons/api.lua
@@ -9,11 +9,8 @@ mcl_cauldrons.BOTTLE_FILL_LEVELS = 1
 
 
 -- list of substances accepted by cauldron.
--- N.B. hopefully this will be obsoleted by the liquids API.
-mcl_cauldrons.substances = {
-	"cauldron_water",
-	"cauldron_river_water",
-}
+-- filled by register_cauldron()
+mcl_cauldrons.substances = {}
 
 
 -- Find cauldron from registered cauldrons -> string, table
@@ -42,22 +39,33 @@ function mcl_cauldrons.find_cauldron(substance, fill_level)
 end
 
 -- Test: node describes a cauldron -> boolean
-function mcl_cauldrons.is_cauldron(node)
+function mcl_cauldrons.is_cauldron_node(node)
+	if node == nil then return false end
 	return (minetest.get_item_group(node.name, "cauldron") ~= 0)
 end
 
+function mcl_cauldrons.is_cauldron_pos(pos)
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	return mcl_cauldrons.is_cauldron_node(node)
+end
+
 -- Test: cauldron node contains specified substance -> boolean
-function mcl_cauldrons.has_substance(node, substance)
+function mcl_cauldrons.has_substance_node(node, substance)
 	return (minetest.get_item_group(node.name, substance) ~= 0)
 end
 
+function mcl_cauldrons.has_substance_pos(pos, substance)
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	return mcl_cauldrons.has_substance_node(node)
+end
+
 -- list of supported substances -> table
 function mcl_cauldrons.list_substances()
-	return mcl_cauldron.substances
+	return mcl_cauldrons.substances
 end
 
 -- Get substance inside cauldron -> string or nil
-function mcl_cauldrons.get_substance(node)
+function mcl_cauldrons.get_substance_node(node)
 	local nodename = node.name
 	-- data-driven to avoid if-cascade.
 	-- until liquids API is available, the substance name matches the group key in the node definition (e.g. "cauldron_water").
@@ -70,32 +78,36 @@ function mcl_cauldrons.get_substance(node)
 	return nil
 end
 
+function mcl_cauldrons.get_substance_pos(pos)
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	return mcl_cauldrons.get_substance_node(node)
+end
+
 -- Get maximum number of levels available for cauldron node -> number
--- Optionally specify `substance` (mainly to determine a change in cauldron substance, e.g. filling a full one with bucket of something else)
--- substance == nil to ignore substance criteria
-function mcl_cauldrons.get_maximum(node, substance)
-	local nodename
-	if substance == nil then
-		nodename = node.name
-	else
-		nodename = mcl_cauldrons.find_cauldron(substance, nil)
-	end
+function mcl_cauldrons.get_maximum_node(node)
+	local nodename = node.name
 	return minetest.get_item_group(nodename, "cauldron_maximum")
 end
 
+function mcl_cauldrons.get_maximum_pos(pos)
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	return mcl_cauldrons.get_maximum_node(node)
+end
+
 -- Get current level of cauldron -> number
--- Optionally specify `substance`, substance==nil to indicate current content.
-function mcl_cauldrons.get_level(node, substance)
-	if substance and (minetest.get_item_group(node.name, substance) == 0) then
-		return 0
-	end
+function mcl_cauldrons.get_level_node(node)
 	return minetest.get_item_group(node.name, "cauldron_filled")
 end
 
+function mcl_cauldrons.get_level_pos(pos)
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	return mcl_cauldrons.get_level_node(node)
+end
+
 -- Test: cauldron is empty -> boolean
 -- (i.e. fill level is 0, or contents is empty)
-function mcl_cauldrons.is_empty(node)
-	if not mcl_cauldrons.is_cauldron(node) then
+function mcl_cauldrons.is_empty_node(node)
+	if not mcl_cauldrons.is_cauldron_node(node) then
 		error("not a cauldron", node.name)
 	end
 	if minetest.get_item_group(node.name, "cauldron_filled") == 0 then
@@ -104,18 +116,40 @@ function mcl_cauldrons.is_empty(node)
 	return false
 end
 
+function mcl_cauldrons.is_empty_pos(pos)
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	return mcl_cauldrons.is_empty_node(node)
+end
+
 -- Test: cauldron is full -> boolean
 -- (i.e. current fill level matches maximum level.
-function mcl_cauldrons.is_full(node)
+function mcl_cauldrons.is_full_node(node)
 	local maximum = mcl_cauldrons.get_maximum(node)
 	local current = mcl_cauldrons.get_level(node)
 	return (current >= maximum)
 end
 
+function mcl_cauldrons.is_full_pos(pos)
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	return mcl_cauldrons.is_full_node(node)
+end
+
+
+function mcl_cauldrons.make_cauldron_node(substance, fill_levels)
+	local nodename, nodedef = mcl_cauldrons.find_cauldron(substance, fill_level)
+	local newnode = { name = nodename }
+	return newnode
+end
+
+function mcl_cauldrons.make_cauldron_pos(pos, substance, fill_level)
+	local node = mcl_cauldrons.make_cauldron_node(substance, fill_level)
+	minetest.set_node(pos, node)
+end
+
 -- Set fill level, bypassing game rules -> table
 -- Optionally indicate substance (to change cauldron content); nil to preserve.
 -- returns a node table as accepted by minetest.set_node()
-function mcl_cauldrons.set_level(node, fill_level, substance)
+function mcl_cauldrons.set_level_node(node, fill_level, substance)
 	if substance == nil then
 		-- determine current substance.
 		substance = mcl_cauldrons.get_substance(node)
@@ -125,24 +159,51 @@ function mcl_cauldrons.set_level(node, fill_level, substance)
 	return newnode
 end
 
+function mcl_cauldrons.set_level_pos(pos, fill_level, substance)
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	local newnode = mcl_cauldrons.set_level_node(node, fill_level, substance)
+	minetest.set_node(pos, newnode)
+end
+
 -- Change content of cauldron by number of levels with indicated substance -> table
 -- Subject to game rules (delegated to node definition's on_fill callback)
 -- returns a node table as accepted by minetest.set_node()
-function mcl_cauldrons.fill_levels(node, change_levels, substance)
+function mcl_cauldrons.fill_levels_node(node, change_levels, substance)
 	local nodedef = mcl_cauldrons.registered_cauldrons[node.name]
 	local callback = nodedef._mcl_on_fill
 	-- use callback if available, else revert.
 	return callback and callback(node, change_levels, substance) or node
 end
 
+function mcl_cauldrons.fill_levels_pos(pos, change_levels, substance)
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	local newnode = mcl_cauldrons.fill_levels_node(node)
+	minetest.set_node(pos)
+end
+
 -- drain counterpart to fill_levels()
-function mcl_cauldrons.drain_levels(node, change_levels, substance)
+function mcl_cauldrons.drain_levels_node(node, change_levels, substance)
 	local nodedef = mcl_cauldrons.registered_cauldrons[node.name]
 	local callback = nodedef._mcl_on_drain
 	-- use callback if available, else revert.
 	return callback and callback(node, change_levels, substance) or node
 end
 
+function mcl_cauldrons.drain_levels_pos(pos, change_levels, substance)
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	local newnode = mcl_cauldrons.drain_levels_node(node)
+	minetest.set_node(pos)
+end
+
+
+local function list_member(member, lis)
+	for i, v in ipairs(lis) do
+		if v == member then
+			return member
+		end
+	end
+	return nil
+end
 
 -- Wrapper to register cauldron-specific nodes.
 -- additional bookkeeping specific to mcl_cauldrons.
@@ -152,5 +213,8 @@ function mcl_cauldrons.register_cauldron_node(nodename, nodedef, doc_alias)
 	if doc_alias and has_doc then
 		doc.add_entry_alias("nodes", doc_alias, "nodes", nodename)
 	end
+	if not list_member(nodedef._mcl_cauldron_substance, mcl_cauldrons.substances) then
+		table.insert(mcl_cauldrons.substances, nodedef._mcl_cauldron_substance)
+	end
 end
 
diff --git a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_cauldrons/register.lua b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_cauldrons/register.lua
index 7a31398ee..ce740e99f 100644
--- a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_cauldrons/register.lua
+++ b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_cauldrons/register.lua
@@ -158,7 +158,6 @@ mcl_cauldrons.register_cauldron_node("mcl_cauldrons:cauldron_water_1",
 		cauldron = 1,
 		cauldron_filled = 1,
 		cauldron_maximum = 3,
-		cauldron_water = 1,
 		},
 	node_box = mcl_cauldrons.cauldron_nodeboxes[1],
 	collision_box = mcl_cauldrons.cauldron_nodeboxes[0],
@@ -168,6 +167,7 @@ mcl_cauldrons.register_cauldron_node("mcl_cauldrons:cauldron_water_1",
 			"mcl_cauldrons_cauldron_side.png"
 	},
 	drop = "mcl_cauldrons:cauldron",
+	_mcl_cauldron_substance = "water",
 }), "mcl_cauldrons:cauldron")
 
 -- water cauldron 2/3 as extension of 1/3.
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ if minetest.get_modpath("mclx_core") then
 			cauldron = 1,
 			cauldron_filled = 1,
 			cauldron_maximum = 3,
-			cauldron_river_water = 1,
 			},
 		node_box = mcl_cauldrons.cauldron_nodeboxes[1],
 		collision_box = mcl_cauldrons.cauldron_nodeboxes[0],
@@ -210,6 +209,7 @@ if minetest.get_modpath("mclx_core") then
 				"mcl_cauldrons_cauldron_side.png"
 		},
 		drop = "mcl_cauldrons:cauldron",
+		_mcl_cauldron_substance = "river_water",
 	}), "mcl_cauldrons:cauldron")
 	-- water cauldron 2/3 as extension of 1/3.
 	mcl_cauldrons.register_cauldron_node("mcl_cauldrons:cauldron_river_water_2",