Method and an apparatus for setting up and plunging a skiving tool with respect to a work piece, on which a rotational-symmetric, periodic structure is to be manufactured with application of the skiving tool, wherein a radial feed motion in the direction of the work piece is performed, so to bring the skiving tool in contact with the work piece for the first time, and the skiving tool is plunged from the moment of the first contact down to a predetermined depth in a radial plunging movement, before the proper skiving of the rotation-symmetric, periodic structure is carried out.