A two-dimensional transient conduction model was developed for cylindrical coordinates using a spreadsheet software package and an explicit finite difference scheme. The governing equations were derived using an energy balance approach in terms of thermal resistance and capacitance. An iterative macro was created to solve the governing temperature equations subjected to specific stability criteria. The model was used to predict the thermal behavior inside a cylindrical solid heated by either a Gaussian or a uniform intensity distribution heating source. The thermal behavior of aluminum and copper were compared. Convective and constant surface heat flux boundary conditions were applied and an initial condition was specified. This paper demonstrates the application of a common software tool to solve a variety of complicated heat transport problems associated with cylindrical geometries and provides such accuracy that the technique can readily be used for design purposes.