In search of the right surface treatment for my drums I have tried just about every option from all natural to high tech. From shellac to oil, beeswax and pine resin mixes, hand-rubbed, french polished, I have mixed my own and shipped stuff in, I tried tung oil varnishes, water-based polyurethane, I spent a lot of money on professional HVLP spray systems and a dedicated spray booth with advanced water-based musical instrument lacquers.
I know that what you want is something that looks good and is highly durable, what I wanted was a finish that met the all of the following qualifications:
Clear and natural looking allowing the woods natural character to mellow and age over time, but still be clearly defined by the surface treatment.
Ultra-durable.
Easy to apply and achieve good results.
Good moderation of moisture levels in wood.
Soap and water clean-up. Safe, and odor free.
Quick curing.
A good value.
Locally available if possible.
What I eventually settled on is a water-based polyurethane product designed for high traffic flooring applications. It looks good, is ultra-durable and protective, very forgiving to apply, I can get it through my local hardware store, it's quite a bit less expensive than the pro lacquer I was using, cleans up with soap and water, instead of suiting up and turning on an exhaust fan to spray it on I simply and meditatively brush it on with a good quality brush. Simple as can be. Once it cures properly it bonds to the drum head and adds a little bit of a temper to the surface of the head that protects while it fine tunes the overtones. I hand rub the head and shoulders until they have a soft satiny glow and are as smooth as a babies bottom. I leave the body with a little bit more surface texture so the drum is easier to pick up and move.